What's On and Off

Tony McCoy gets the chance to find the two winners he needs to secure 3,000 career successes in Britain and Ireland thanks to this afternoon's meeting at Plumpton being given the go-ahead.

Rain had threatened to scupper the 13-times champion's quest, but the all-clear at the East Sussex track came after an inspection.

"We have got through the 8.30am inspection so we are on," said clerk of the course Mark Cornford.

"The ground is raceable and although it will be wet, heavy and testing ground, it's not bottomless."

McCoy, who has not tasted success since steering home Stradbrook at Wincanton on January 29, has four booked rides.

Three meetings have survived the weather with Kempton having no problems while Wolverhampton had to pass a morning inspection.

"We brought the inspection forward as although we did see some snow, it didn't really settle," said clerk of the course Fergus Cameron.

"Temperatures are forecast to go up to plus two or three degrees so on that basis, we don't anticipate any problems."

The winter shows little signs of easing its icy grip with Tuesday's fixture at Newcastle abandoned due to a frozen track.

Clerk of the course James Armstrong inspected the track at 8am today and after a week of overnight frosts, he was left with no choice but to cancel the fixture.

He said: "We had another night of frost last night making it seven consecutive nights of temperatures from minus six to minus four and it is minus two again this morning.

"We have another frost forecast tonight and it has actually got under the frost sheets which shows you how cold it has been."

Tomorrow's meeting at Folkestone is subject to an 8am precautionary inspection.

Although the track is fit for racing at present, clerk of the course Neil MacKenzie Ross is concerned by the prospect of heavy rain.

He said: "We are heavy but raceable and we will take some rain.

"There's up to or upwards of an inch of rain forecast, the figure depends where you look. In light of that, we thought it best to have a look at 8am."

Racing in Ireland has also been hit with Tuesday's meeting at Fairyhouse abandoned due to frost and snow.

Officials will check again at 8am on Tuesday to assess the prospects for Wednesday's card.