Southwell comes to the rescue again

Southwell's all-weather Flat track once again takes centre stage as the cold snap continues to hit the jump racing programme.

Today's scheduled meetings at Ayr and Folkestone were called off yesterday and tomorrow's fixtures at Sedgefield and Taunton hinge on inspections later today.

There is a glimmer of hope at Taunton where Michael Trickey, the clerk of the course, reports a slight rise in temperature.

He said: "It just depends on whether there is enough heat during the day to get the frost out of the ground."

Prospects for Sandown's televised meeting on Saturday are described as "pretty slim".