COLD SNAP CLAIMS LINGFIELD AND STRATFORD

The big freeze has decimated today`s racing with the meetings at Stratford and Lingfield being abandoned after early morning inspections.

With the important fixtures at Haydock and Kempton called off yesterday, only Catterick this afternoon and Wolverhampton tonight survive the cold snap today.

Stratford became the 68th National Hunt fixture to be lost this winter when a 7.30 inspection found the course to be frozen in places.

Clerk of the course Stephen Lambert said: 'It was very close to call, too close for comfort, but it was too risky.'

'About 90 per cent of the course is raceable, but that means that 10 per cent isn`t.'

The temperature dipped to minus two and a half degrees centigrade overnight.

It was even colder at Lingfield, minus six and a half, which has forced the abandonment of the all-weather Flat meeting on the Equitrack.

Clerk of the course Chris Stickels said: 'We`ve got large frozen lumps. We don`t feel that even with a temperature rise that they are going to come out because they are of a larger size than normal.'

However, the National Hunt meeting at Catterick goes ahead following an early morning inspection.

Course spokesman John Gundill said: 'Racing will take place. What has saved us is that rain has taken the crustiness out of the ground.'

The going at the North Yorkshire track is good to soft and the first race is scheduled for 12.55.

No problems are reported at Wolverhampton`s Flat meeting on Fibresand tonight. The going is slow.