Sprinter Sacre© Photo Healy Racing
Ascot's big card on Saturday has been abandoned due to snow.
Course officials were due to inspect the track at 4.30pm but were forced into making an early call in light of the worsening conditions.
The meeting was due to see the return of Sprinter Sacre in the Victor Chandler Chase.
"We've had two inches of snow which is forecast to go on for the rest of the day and possibly into the evening," said clerk of the course Chris Stickels.
"There's no chance of a thaw coming in time and there wasn't any option for us other than to abandon.
"We weren't sure if the snow would make it this far east in the volume that it has, but now it's here it's forced our hand."
However discussions have already begun as to whether the feature race could be rescheduled for Cheltenham in a week's time and added to the Festival Trials day programme.
"We're talking to Jockey Club Racecourses, the British Horseracing Authority and Victor Chandler and we'd be happy to have the race re-staged if the necessary arrangements can be put in place," added Stickels.
