Freeze threat to British meetings

British race clubs are trying to save important jumps meetings this week by laying frost sheets with icy weather predicted over the next few days.

Sandown have deployed frost covers in an effort to safeguard Saturday’s fixture featuring the Grade One Challengers Novices’ Chase.

“We decided the cover the track in view of the forecast for later in the week which is for some very cold days and nights,” Sandown’s Andrew Cooper said.

“It could be very cold on Wednesday and Thursday night, perhaps down to -4C and the the temperature range for Friday daytime is 0C to 2C.

“We’ve put the covers down the night before racing but we’ve never used them for as many days as this.

Covers have also been laid at Wetherby, Newcastle and Wincanton where fleece covers have been placed on take-offs, landings and bypass areas of the track.

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