Unexpected snowfall - Newbury

[Posts: 1039Joined: 14 Feb 2003, 14:57Location: Middlesbrough]

3 inches overnight, the writing is really on the wall now by the looks of it with an 8am inspection called for Friday

I thought course officials were being overly optimistic yesterday when they said that they should be ok because all the forecasts I saw were dire.

Ireland would reschedule the whole card for later in the week but lets just see what the brains trust at the BHA do

[Posts: 3706Joined: 19 Nov 2002, 14:40Location: Fife]

Such reports were a regular exercise back in the 70s when the 'Schweppes' as was seemed to be under threat from the weather every year.

For much of the period Schweppes Ltd. got excellent publicity without the race taking place.

Rob

[Posts: 2498Joined: 30 Sep 2007, 13:16]

Shame if the meeting doesnt go ahead, but i'm not sure if it will now.

[Posts: 446Joined: 23 Nov 2007, 14:10]

Sunday! Can't be that hard surely

[Posts: 1039Joined: 14 Feb 2003, 14:57Location: Middlesbrough]

I suppose they could say Sunday initially (inspect at 7.30am on the day)and then look at later next week if things still haven't improved by then.

I don't buy all this nonsense about the irish being different to us because they have a lighter fixture list - surely a card like this at Newbury takes precedence over next week's cards at Leicester, Musselburgh and Fakenham.

[Posts: 4505Joined: 05 Dec 2008, 01:34Location: Ashford]

It is supposed to be raining hard on Sunday.

[Posts: 4505Joined: 05 Dec 2008, 01:34Location: Ashford]

Apparently it is 1-2 on betfair for the meeting to be off, but I can't find it.

I think there is still a good chance it will go ahead.

I've had a look at the 24 hour forecast for Newbury, and the lowest temperature tonight is +1C. There will also be quite a bit of sleet tonight, but won't that be a good thing as it will melt the snow?

On, the other hand, it makes the going even softer.

The forecast for Friday night is a low of -2C.

If covers can't cope with -2C, then what is the bleeding point in them?

Ironically, Saturday is a sunny day, but the high is only 3C.

[Posts: 103Joined: 04 Oct 2007, 19:01Location: North-West]

The odds of it not going ahead have shortened to 1.34

[Posts: 813Joined: 14 Mar 2006, 11:32]

There was a good 3 - 4 inches snowfall through the night. Temperatures have raised slightly and the snow has been starting to melt but the rain that is being experienced to the east of us hasn't materialised this far west yet; more snow is forecast tonight.

[Posts: 1039Joined: 14 Feb 2003, 14:57Location: Middlesbrough]

Holding an inspection as early as 8am on Friday surely means that they believe it's got no chance

Good to see Kempton making plans to put their Friday card back 24 hours if it gets called off though, bit of initiative for a change.

[Posts: 1039Joined: 14 Feb 2003, 14:57Location: Middlesbrough]

Here's a picture of Cheltenham being cleared of snow in time for the Festival following the famous big freeze in 1963...

www.jamd.com/image/g/3438395

[Posts: 4505Joined: 05 Dec 2008, 01:34Location: Ashford]

The Clerk of the Course for Newbury was interviewed on RUK about an hour, hour-and-a-half ago.

He said the turf beneath the covers is fine.

He also said that the covers are relatively cheap, and as a last resort they could cut them into smaller pieces, and pull them off the track!

[Posts: 109Joined: 14 Jul 2007, 12:28]

Apparently if Newbury is off, then the BHA are hoping to reschedule the AON and Game Spirit "next week".