Tag Archive for: Plumpton

Four on the day for Skelton means it is still game on for the title

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Dan Skelton admitted to being been blown away by the level of support he has received during the trainers’ championship battle with Willie Mullins after forging £52,775 ahead with a four-timer on Easter Monday.

Two winners at Chepstow, one at Fakenham and a lucrative triumph for 14-1 shot Mostly Sunny at Plumpton helped the Warwickshire handler extend his advantage, having started the day £27,878 in front, albeit Mullins did have the last word with victory over Skelton in a precious Plumpton bumper.

“Last year, because there was never really any chance of us winning after Ayr, perhaps people didn’t really get into it, but this year, I’ve just felt a totally different feeling about it all,” Skelton told Sky Sports Racing.

“A wall of horses is coming over on Saturday (to Sandown) and I think it’s going to be very, very hard for us to resist them, but we’ll be doing our best and I’m enjoying it.

“We are having some great moments. I know they are not always on the biggest stage or anything like that, but they are great moments – we’re competitors and we’re just revved for it.

“The support this year, compared to last year, is totally different. Last year, we got plenty of support, especially within our own team, the owners and everything, but this year, those team members have been even more vociferous in their support and when you go to the races, it’s just ramped up a lot.

“You persuade yourself that it’s only the big ones that count, but it’s not, the little ones all add up, we’ve had a phenomenal year and if we get beat in the championship, nobody will have ever won as much money to be second – and we just hope that we don’t get beat. It’s exciting and we’ll see.

“I’ll be doing my best, we’ll be doing our best, and we’ll see if it’s possible, although like I say, I’m concerned about what might be coming on Saturday.”

Skelton got the day off to a flying start at Chepstow, where Deep Purple picked up just short of £4,248 with a 6-1 success under Charlie Todd after being left clear when the Paul Nicholls-trained Jakar Du Moulin unseated his rider two out.

Gwennie May Star disappointed for the Alcester handler when pulled up in Plumpton’s opener and Asta La Pasta could not land a blow in the valuable BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Chase Handicap Chase, but 18-5 favourite Westport Cove failed to fully capitalise for Mullins, fading late on to finish fourth for £6,080.

Wind River made a minor £471 gain for Skelton by finishing fourth at Fakenham but Doyouknowwhatimean’s Chepstow success was more significant, adding £6,337 to the tally.

Skelton’s Kenmya was out of the money at Fakenham and Real Stone only contributed £372 for a Chepstow sixth, but Skelton then struck a notable blow in the Southern Cranes Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at Plumpton, with outsider Mostly Sunny storming home to claim the £23,764 first prize, while Mr Escobar bagged £5,468 in third for Mullins.

Lady Jago was a disappointing last of four at Plumpton for Skelton but still bagged £1,003 and Cusano came home strongly to snatch second at the same venue and another £4,010, while Claim Du Brizais netted £2,995 for striking in a Fakenham bumper.

A fascinating day finished in a fitting fashion when 4-5 favourite Emerald Poet obliged for Mullins in Plumpton’s BetGoodwin Free Bet On Nose Losers Open National Hunt Flat Race under Harry Cobden, earning £12,526 for fending off the challenge of Skelton’s Le Beau Madrik, who at least landed £5,771.

Harry Skelton partnered Mostly Sunny to victory in a success he clearly enjoyed. He said: “I’m just proud of everyone. I haven’t been here for five years and the crowd has been incredible, whether we win or lose.

“It’s good for racing and we’re in there chipping away, we’ll keep going, but we know what’s to come, we’re not too naive to ignore the force that Willie and his team have got, but the staff are behind us, the owners are behind us and the public, in the last few days, have been incredible.

“I wear my heart on my sleeve a bit and I’m loving it. Hopefully we can hang on, but whatever happens, we’re proud of the whole team and the horses are flying, it’s a testament to the team to keep them in that form throughout the year.”

Coral cut Mullins to 2-11 for the title from 1-4 and eased Skelton to 7-2 from 11-4.

De Boinville taken to hospital following Plumpton fall

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Nico de Boinville was taken to hospital for further assessment following a fall at Plumpton on Monday.

De Boinville was aboard 3-1 favourite As The Fella Says for Nicky Henderson in the fourth race on the card, the Southern Cranes Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, when falling at the first.

The hurdle was bypassed subsequently, with De Boinville treated on the track before being taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

De Boinville – who was reported by Sky Sports Racing to be conscious – is due to have a big end to the season, with Jonbon set to run at Sandown on Saturday and the potential of Constitution Hill starring at next month’s Punchestown Festival.

Mullins closes in on Skelton in trainers’ title battle

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Absurde helped Willie Mullins reduce Dan Skelton’s lead in the trainers’ championship to £27,877 when leading home a one-two for the defending champion in the BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Hurdle Handicap Hurdle at Plumpton on Sunday.

Absurde was one of four contenders for Mullins in the £75,000 feature and having started the day £69,357 adrift of Skelton, the Closutton handler clawed back £58,080 in one hit after Daddy Long Legs (second) and Sir Gerhard (sixth) both picked up a slice of the prize-fund alongside the 9-4 winning favourite.

Mr Escobar added £7,290 when second in the concluding Phoenix Cycles Remember Ray Prior Handicap Hurdle to further eat into Skelton’s advantage, with Mullins finishing the day on £3,208,180 and Coral making the Irishman 1-4 to lift the UK champion trainer trophy for the second time at Sandown next Saturday.

Absurde is a Cheltenham Festival winner in the past
Absurde is a Cheltenham Festival winner in the past (Mike Egerton/PA)

However, Mullins – who also enjoyed a Grade One double at Fairyhouse and a Cork treble – is refusing to get carried away.

Speaking at Fairyhouse, he said: “I’m just taking every race as it comes. It’s going to be hard fought, and Dan seems to have the upper hand now unless things really go our way.

“We’ve had a lot of luck in England and it’s hard to think we’ll keep having more.

“I just saw the end of the race (at Plumpton) so it looked good. Absurde looked very good and Nico (de Boinville) looked to be going very well on Daddy Long Legs.”

Absurde, who has previously won the Ebor and County Hurdle and twice run with credit in the Melbourne Cup, was expertly steered by Harry Cobden, who rode Captain Cody to a key Scottish National success for Mullins last week.

Cobden said: “He’s had a tendency to be keen in the past, but we went nice and fast early so I didn’t have any problems there and he settled well and jumped brilliantly.

“I thought Harry Skelton (on Knickerbockerglory) would take me into the race and I followed him everywhere, winged the third-last and then it was just a case of keeping a leg each side coming up the straight.

“Ruby Walsh, David Casey and Willie all said to have just one go at the last and when you are on a horse with as much class as him, it is easy.”

Skelton had taken his lead past £75,000 prior to the afternoon’s feature after Lady Kluck finished third in the opening ExTech Cloud Computing Mares’ Maiden Hurdle and Major Fortune (third) and Hidden Heroics (fourth) both contributed to the pot in the BetGoodwin Master Trainer Chris Gordon Handicap Chase.

Trainer Dan Skelton is refusing to lie down
Trainer Dan Skelton is refusing to lie down (Steve Welsh/PA)

Knickerbockerglory (fourth) and She’s A Saint (fifth) limited the damage of Absurde’s victory when picking up minor money behind the winner in the main event, while 5-2 favourite Shakeyatailfeather’s game victory in the BetGoodwin Top UK Online Bookie Handicap Chase saw Skelton to a total of £3,236,057.

“We’ve got a lot of entries over the coming week, but I’m sure it will come down to Sandown and I’ve said that the whole way through,” Skelton told Sky Sports Racing.

“You will see us at all the meetings this week and I’m not giving up. I’ve got too many supporters who are wanting us to do this and want us to do this as much as we do.

“So I’m not giving up and if we go and get kicked around the park on Saturday because we haven’t got the right team, then so be it. We’ll have led every day until the last day of the season.

“I’m actually enjoying it all as last year we got caught but never really felt like we could win, but this year we have a sporting chance. We’re not the favourites but we’ve a lot of support and it feels fun. It’s a privilege to be the competitor.

Dan Skelton is drawing inspiration from his father Nick Skelton's Olympic heroics
Dan Skelton is drawing inspiration from his father Nick Skelton’s Olympic heroics (Steve Paston/PA)

“At the end of the day we have to enjoy it as we’ve put so much into the season and had an unbelievable year and hopefully that is enough.”

Skelton is also drawing inspiration from his father Nick’s long wait for an Olympic showjumping gold medal and Rory McIlroy’s recent Masters triumph, adding: “I remember going to the Athens Olympics with Dad convinced he was going to win and he went into the last round leading, went and had three down and didn’t get a medal.

“The disappointment of that just reminds me things can be disappointing then come right afterwards.

“I know it’s on a different level, but look how long it took Rory McIlroy to win a Masters. I was watching that last weekend thinking ‘you know what, sometimes it is not meant to be easy’ and hopefully we will get our time one day.”

Cobden out to plunder another big prize for Mullins at Plumpton

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Just over a week on from winning the Scottish National for Willie Mullins on Captain Cody, Harry Cobden teams up with the champion trainer again in the BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Hurdle on Absurde.

Last year’s County Hurdle winner had a couple of options last weekend, in the Scottish Champion Hurdle and on the Flat at Newbury.

However, Mullins has kept him back for this £100,000 feature as he attempts to reel in Dan Skelton and hold on to his title.

Absurde was third to stablemate Kargese in this year’s County Hurdle off an 8lb higher mark.

He is one of four in the race for Mullins along with Daddy Long Legs (Nico de Boinville), Sir Gerhard (Jonjo O’Neill jr) and Tounsivator (Sam Twiston-Davies).

“It’s pretty exciting riding one for him in the big race at Plumpton,” Cobden told Sky Sports Racing.

“He’s obviously got four in it, but if I was going to pick one, it would definitely be him.

“A sharp left-handed track like that, he’s obviously got plenty of speed, travels well, ran well in the County to finish third, where I’d say the ground was plenty soft for him, so Plumpton is probably made for him.”

Skelton fields Knickerbockerglory, winner of a valuable race at Sandown earlier in the season and who has since run well in two major handicaps, plus She’s A Saint, who won at Aintree recently.

Mullins sets sights on Champion Hurdle honours at Plumpton

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Willie Mullins is taking dead aim at Plumpton’s valuable two-day Easter fixture, as he hunts down Dan Skelton and attempts to retain his British champion trainer crown.

Having seemingly given up the ghost earlier in the year, his usual Cheltenham domination went before an unprecedented result in the Grand National when he saddled five of the first seven home, winning over £800,000.

Coupled with winning a host of other Grade Ones at the meeting, Mullins was suddenly within touching distance and declared the battle was on, before then enjoying a Scottish National one-two.

He perhaps did not make as much of an inroad into Skelton’s advantage as expected at Cheltenham’s two-day meeting this week, and is not represented in the UK on Saturday. But come Sunday and Plumpton’s BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Hurdle Handicap Hurdle, he most certainly is.

With Fairyhouse also staging a big meeting, Mullins is relying on the home team of jockeys for his four raiders.

Nico de Boinville wears the familiar Joe and Marie Donnelly silks on Daddy Long Legs, while fresh from winning the Scottish National on Mullins’ Captain Cody, Harry Cobden rides last year’s County Hurdle winner Absurde. Jonjo O’Neill jr, who won the Triumph Hurdle on 100-1 shot Poniros for the yard, partners Sir Gerhard and Sam Twiston-Davies is on Tounsivator.

Skelton runs Knickerbockerglory and Aintree winner She’s A Saint.

Plumpton’s chief executive Craig Staddon said: “We are over the moon with Willie’s entries for both Sunday and Monday, which adds another dimension to what was already promising to be a really competitive weekend of racing.

“As a small racecourse, we have put in a lot of effort organising these two days and hopefully everyone who decides to join us will be in for a treat.”

Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, said: “The fantastic prize-money on offer is a real credit to everyone at Plumpton. I enjoyed my visit there last month and we are looking forward to sending a team over this weekend.”

Mullins also runs King Alexander and Mr Escobar in the Phoenix Cycles Remember Ray Prior Handicap Hurdle later on the card.

Title race boost for Plumpton’s Easter meeting

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Plumpton are set to benefit from the incredibly tight margins in the British jumps trainers’ championship as their Easter meeting has attracted healthy support from the key protagonists.

Dan Skelton holds a narrow lead over Irish rival and defending champion Willie Mullins, with some significant prize money on offer at Plumpton on Easter Sunday and Monday, when the track’s commitment to providing worthy prize pots has been rewarded.

On Sunday the key event is the BetGoodwin Sussex Champion Hurdle, in which Mullins has entered County Hurdle winner Kargese, the useful dual-purpose gelding Absurde, who was third in the same race, and the two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Sir Gerhard.

Mullins has 11 horses entered at the track on Sunday, whereas Skelton has put forward 17 at this stage and has four in the mix for the feature race worth £39,023 to the winner.

“We’re really happy with the entries, we’ve benefited with the title race becoming so close, which we hoped we would,” said Marcus Waters, clerk of the course at Plumpton.

“Willie Mullins has entered some really high-class horses, ones that have won and performed really well at Cheltenham in the past, which is brilliant.

“We’ve got a good cohort of our local trainers sending their best horses as well, so hopefully we’ll get some very competitive racing.

“When we were planning the meeting across the two Premier racing days, part of our thinking was that it might go down to the wire like it did last year.

“That might bring people to tracks they wouldn’t go to normally, which gives us a really good opportunity to showcase what Plumpton is all about.

“The forecast shows a little bit of rain this week but it’s not going to change dramatically, hopefully they stand their ground as the whole card looks really good.

“We’re looking forward to getting the Monday entries tomorrow and seeing what we’ve got there. We’ve the £100,000 Sussex Champion Chase so hopefully we can replicate the quality of the entries across the two days.”

Plumpton and Hereford call precautionary inspections

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Monday’s jumps cards at Plumpton and Hereford will have to pass precautionary inspections on raceday morning.

Hereford will be the first to assess conditions at 7.30am, with the going currently reported to be good to soft, soft in places after 10 millimetres of rain by Sunday afternoon.

Further rain and strong winds are forecast overnight, prompting the need for a morning check.

It is a similar story at Plumpton, with the area under a yellow weather warning from the Met Office for strong winds and rain.

The ground is described as soft, good to soft in places with an 8.30am inspection planned.

Wednesday’s meeting at Leicester is also under threat with a 7.45am check called for Monday.

Heavy rain is forecast on Sunday night, with the hurdles track heavy and the chase course soft, heavy in places.

Chepstow lasts just two races after Plumpton is cancelled

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Racing at Chepstow was abandoned after two races on Sunday, just hours after Plumpton’s BetGoodwin Sussex National meeting was called off despite passing a morning inspection.

Following a Saturday without any jumps or afternoon action, a full programme of National Hunt racing looked set to take place on Sunday after fixtures at Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas were all initially given the go-ahead following morning checks.

The team at Chepstow opted to take another look after an initial precautionary inspection at 7.30am and, with temperatures rising, the seven-race card passed a second inspection at 9am.

However, only two races would ultimately take place, with proceedings called off thereafter due to unsafe conditions.

Clerk of the course Dai Jones told Sky Sports Racing: “We had an inquiry before the first race with all the jockeys, trainers, doctors and vets and all the horse group there were happy to carry on.

“Unfortunately, just after that we had a fair shower and with the thawing out and everything else, it’s just the amount of water that we’ve had in the last hour, the jockeys have come back and said that in a couple of places, they felt it was just a little bit too wet and unsafe.

“At the end of the day, the welfare of the jockeys and the welfare of the horses, that’s got to be paramount, irrespective of how much we want to race. When they come back and you see the jockeys, we’ve got to take it in hand and listen.”

He added: “The last thing anybody wants is to bring people here and then not carry through, if at any stage this morning we thought that it wasn’t safe, like we did with the first inspection, we pushed it on an hour and a half, we would act.

“So we feel for everybody, but at the time the decisions were made, they were the right decisions. Unfortunately, the rain came in afterwards and we’re in this position we’re in – we do feel sorry for everybody but safety comes first.”

Officials at Plumpton announced a precautionary inspection for 8.30am ahead of one of the track’s most high-profile fixtures of the season due to the forecast for heavy rain overnight.

While 25mm of rain fell, racing was initially given the green light. However, less than two hours later, the meeting was called off due to waterlogging.

Clerk of the course Marcus Waters said: “We were predicted five millimetres of rain between 8.30am and midday, which we thought we could handle, but we were already on 7.5 millimetres just before 10am.

“That much rain in a short space of time has left us with a few areas of false ground and we didn’t think it was safe anymore.

“We’re very disappointed. At 8.30am, we felt we had a good chance with the forecast how it was, but we got more rain than expected and it’s pushed us over the edge.

“It’s always a hard decision and it would have been the same whatever meeting it was. We have our processes and it was just unfortunate that it’s happened on a big day.”

A seven-race card featuring the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle did go ahead at Naas, but further interruptions to the racing programme appear almost certain in the coming days, with more snow and freezing temperatures forecast.

On Monday, the jumps meeting at Ayr is subject to a precautionary inspection at 7am due to the threat of snow and temperatures as low as minus 2C, while officials at Ludlow will also inspect at 7am ahead of their fixture, with two inches of snow laying on the track on Sunday morning.

Leicester’s Tuesday card has already been abandoned due to waterlogging.

Plumpton called off due to waterlogging after morning rain

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Despite passing an initial morning inspection, Plumpton’s BetGoodwin Sussex National meeting was abandoned on Sunday due to worsening conditions.

Officials announced a precautionary inspection for 8.30am ahead of one of the track’s most high-profile fixtures of the season due to the forecast of heavy rain overnight.

While 25mm of rain fell, racing was initially given the green light. However, less than two hours later, the meeting was called off due to waterlogging.

Clerk of the course Marcus Waters said: “We were predicted five millimetres of rain between 8.30am and midday, which we thought we could handle, but we were already on 7.5 millimetres just before 10am.

“That much rain in a short space of time has left us with a few areas of false ground and we didn’t think it was safe anymore.

“We’re very disappointed. At 8.30am, we felt we had a good chance with the forecast how it was, but we got more rain than expected and it’s pushed us over the edge.

“It’s always a hard decision and it would have been the same whatever meeting it was. We have our processes and it was just unfortunate that it’s happened on a big day.”

Following a Saturday without any jumps or afternoon action, National Hunt racing did get the go-ahead at Chepstow and Naas.

Chepstow opted to take another look after an initial precautionary check at 7.30am and, with temperatures rising, the seven-race card did pass a second inspection at 9am, while the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle is the feature event on a quality card at Naas.

A 7.30am inspection was called at the Irish track due to the threat of snow, but that failed to materialise.

Brendan Sheridan, clerk of the course for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said: “We had no snow overnight, we’ve had 11 millimetres of rain and the ground is now soft, soft to heavy in places.”

Further interruptions to the racing programme appear almost certain in the coming days, though, with more snow and freezing temperatures forecast.

On Monday, the jumps meeting at Ayr is subject to a precautionary inspection at 7am due to the threat of snow and temperatures as low as minus 2C, while officials at Ludlow will also inspect at 7am ahead of their fixture, with two inches of snow laying on the track on Sunday morning.

Leicester’s Tuesday card has already been abandoned due to waterlogging.

Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas all cleared for Sunday racing

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National Hunt racing resumed on Sunday after fixtures at Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas were all given the go-ahead following morning inspections.

Racegoers were left without any jumps or afternoon action on Saturday after freezing temperatures claimed the meetings at Sandown and Wincanton. Newcastle’s jumps card had already been abandoned on Friday, while a frozen track at Cork meant no racing took place in Ireland either.

Officials at Plumpton announced a precautionary inspection for 8.30am ahead of the track’s BetGoodwin Sussex National meeting due to the forecast of heavy rain overnight – and while 25mm fell, racing was given the green light.

Chepstow opted to take another look after an initial precautionary check at 7.30am and, with temperatures rising, the seven-race card did pass a second inspection at 9am, while the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle is the feature event on a quality card at Naas.

A 7.30am inspection was called at the Irish track due to the threat of snow, but that failed to materialise.

Brendan Sheridan, clerk of the course for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said: “We had no snow overnight, we’ve had 11 millimetres of rain and the ground is now soft, soft to heavy in places.”

Further interruptions to the racing programme appear almost certain in the coming days, though, with more snow and freezing temperatures forecast.

Monday’s jumps meeting at Ayr is subject to a precautionary inspection at 7am due to the threat of snow and temperatures as low as minus 2C, while officials at Ludlow will also inspect at 7am ahead of their Monday fixture, with two inches of snow laying on the track on Sunday morning.

Leicester’s Tuesday card has already been abandoned due to waterlogging.

Chepstow and Plumpton cards frozen off

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There will be no National Hunt racing in Britain on Tuesday after scheduled fixtures at both Chepstow and Plumpton were abandoned due to frozen ground.

An 8am inspection was called ahead of racing at Chepstow, but with temperatures dipping just below minus 6C overnight officials were able to make an early call.

It was a similar story at Plumpton, where frost sheets deployed across the whole courses were not enough to save the day.

An inspection was scheduled for 8.30am, but the decision was made at around 6am to draw stumps, with temperatures in Sussex also getting down to minus 6C.

Officials at Newbury will stage an inspection at 3pm to assess the chances of racing on Wednesday.

The entirety of the Berkshire circuit was covered on Friday, but parts of the course were frozen on Tuesday morning.

An inspection will determine whether the track is frost free and raceable on Tuesday afternoon, with another cold night forecast.

The track at Southwell was deemed raceable under the fleece covers on Tuesday morning, but with temperatures set to fall again overnight a precautionary check has been called for 8am ahead of Wednesday’s fixture.

Thursday’s jumps meeting at Newcastle has already been called off following a Tuesday morning inspection, while Fairyhouse’s card on the same day is subject to a noon inspection on Wednesday, with the course declared unfit for racing on Tuesday morning.

Brendan Sheridan, IHRB Clerk of the Course, said: “Ahead of declarations this morning for racing on Thursday, the track is currently unfit for racing due to overnight frost.

“Parts of the track are frozen following two nights of low temperatures, with last night getting down to at least minus 3C.

“We don’t have the most favourable forecast with temperatures only rising to a high of 2C for a couple of hours today before dropping again tonight back to minus 3C.

“In light of that forecast and due to the current ground conditions, we will have a 12pm inspection on Wednesday to assess the prospects of racing here at Fairyhouse on Thursday.”

As the temperatures refused to rise in daylight, Wincanton’s meeting on Thursday was also called off early.

With no prospect of the frost coming out of the ground clerk of the course Dan Cooper felt there was no point delaying the inevitable.

National Hunt tracks firmly on weather alert, as freeze moves in

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Haydock and Lingfield are mobilising in an effort to protect their weekend meetings as Britain braces for the upcoming cold snap.

Lingfield is set to host its annual three-day Winter Million meeting from Friday to Sunday, so-called because of the £1million in prize-money offered across the mixed Flat and jumps cards.

The fixture has coincided with challenging weather conditions before and will do so again, with minus temperatures expected throughout the week – as low as minus 5C.

The Flat card, scheduled for the Saturday, is held on the all-weather but is sandwiched on either side by two National Hunt days that include the Grade Two Lightning Novices Chase and the valuable Fleur De Lys Chase.

In light of the forecast the whole turf track has been covered, requiring 42 hands on deck and taking nearly 10 hours to give the course the best chance of repelling the impending freeze.

“We’re currently good to soft on the turf track, we put the fleece covers down yesterday,” said clerk of the course Stephanie Wethered on Sunday.

“We’ve got minus temperatures forecast so that’s why we got the covers down, to give us the best chance possible of getting the meeting on.

“We’ve tried to do everything possible ahead of the frost coming in and we’re hopeful we’ve given ourselves a fighting chance.”

Haydock has a seven-race fixture scheduled for Saturday, with the Grade Two Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle the feature.

The forecast in Merseyside is subject to a yellow weather warning, with snow expected to fall in the early part of the week and freezing temperatures set to last until Thursday.

Clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright, clerk of the course at Haydock, said: “We’d be in a good place to race today but we’ve got a week of frost, the lowest temperatures are minus 4C and minus 5C, and I think under those circumstances we will be right to the wall.

“We’ve covered, for what it’s worth, all the back straight and the take-offs and landings, but I’d be doubtful of that being enough.

“I would say I’m not optimistic, but we’ll take it as we come. There’s no need to be taking any decisions now, we’ll give it every chance and see how we get on.”

The weekend’s other major meeting is at Ascot, where frost covers and fleece were deployed on Friday. The headline event at the Berkshire track is the Clarence House Chase, in which the Willie Mullins-trained El Fabiolo and Nicky Henderson’s Jonbon are due to clash.

Monday’s meeting at Hereford and Tuesday’s fixture at Plumpton are both subject to morning inspections as racecourses across Britain brace themselves for freezing temperatures this week.

An 8am precautionary inspection has been called ahead of Hereford’s Monday jumps card, but clerk of the course John Holliday is “optimistic” racing will go ahead.

Tuesday’s meeting at Plumpton is subject to an 8.30am inspection on raceday morning.

The course has been frost free since Friday, but the mercury is forecast to dip below freezing on Monday morning and temperatures could get as low as minus 3C on Monday night.

In Ireland, Punchestown will inspect at 7.30am on Monday morning as minus temperatures are expected to strike across the Irish Sea too.

Cold snap prompts Hereford and Plumpton to inspect

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Monday’s meeting at Hereford and Tuesday’s fixture at Plumpton are both subject to morning inspections as racecourses across Britain brace themselves for freezing temperatures this week.

While racing over the weekend was unaffected, a forecast for snow and ice in the coming days looks set to have a significant impact on the National Hunt programme.

An 8am precautionary inspection has been called ahead of Hereford’s Monday jumps card, but clerk of the course John Holliday is “optimistic” racing will go ahead.

He said: “We’re due to get down to minus 2C tonight, so it’s not going to be too drastic I don’t think, so I’m pretty optimistic.

“We’ve called the precautionary inspection to be on the safe side. Our biggest problem is it’s not going to get very warm – it’s only due to get up to 3C at about 1pm on Monday and then it starts getting cold again.

“If it’s frozen in the morning I should think we’re in trouble, but I’m fairly confident. We haven’t had a frost yet, so it’s not like we’ve had two or three on the bounce, which is always worse.

“We’ve covered vulnerable areas and most of the hurdles track as well.”

Tuesday’s meeting at Plumpton is subject to an 8.30am inspection on raceday morning.

The course has been frost free since Friday, but the mercury is forecast to dip below freezing on Monday morning and temperatures could get as low as minus 3C on Monday night.

Bridgwater and Quinn team up for Sussex National glory

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David Bridgwater was back in the big-race winner’s enclosure having saddled Dom Of Mary to a decisive victory in Plumpton’s BetGoodwin Sussex National Handicap Chase.

The eight-year-old was the 9-2 second-favourite in the hands of Caoilin Quinn for the £35,000 marathon and his in-form pilot was in no rush in the early stages, biding his time and riding his mount with supreme confidence.

Dom Of Mary gradually worked his way into a position to strike with the business end of the race approaching, and as the field rounded the turn for home, there was only Seamus Mullins’ hat-trick-seeking Tommie Beau left to pass.

The duo jumped two out matching strides, but the momentum lay with Dom Of Mary who took control running down to the last, extending clear and ultimately romping home 10-lengths clear of Tommie Beau who kept on gamely for the silver medal.

“He ran well last time and the time before and he deserved to get his head in front again,” said Bridgwater.

“It was the ideal race for him really. Any of these three-mile-plus races we will have a look at them and I always thought he would be a horse who would win a race like that, so it’s worked out well for once.

“Caoilin rides exceptionally well and I think he is a boy that will be around for a few years yet.”

Dom Of Mary is owned by one of Bridgwater’s long-standing owners in Peter Cave, whose colours were carried to Cheltenham Festival glory by The Conditional in the Ultima in 2020.

The handler is now keen to give Dom Of Mary his own shot at Prestbury Park success, but concedes it may have to be the Kim Muir rather than the Ultima depending on how the handicapper assesses his Plumpton triumph.

“He’s been a lucky owner for us and it’s really exciting for Peter and just what the doctor ordered really,” continued Bridgwater.

“He’s won by 10 lengths off 118 so where is the handicapper going to put him? That (Kim Muir) is what I’m thinking.

“I’d love to run him in the race we won with The Conditional really, but he might have to win again (to get in). He’s that type of horse, off a low weight in those big handicaps, he’s going to sneak into it isn’t he.

“We’ll see what’s about and it’s all exciting stuff.”

Caoilin Quinn is enjoying plenty of big days in the saddle
Caoilin Quinn is enjoying plenty of big days in the saddle (Nigel French/PA)

Dom Of Mary’s success continued a brilliant run in the saddle for the 22-year-old jockey Quinn, who was seen tasting success aboard Gary Moore’s Nassalam in the Welsh Grand National over the Christmas period and has now got his hands on a second prestigious staying prize in the space of two weeks.

He told Sky Sports Racing: “This lad made it very easy for me, he travelled and jumped well which is what you need round here and I know it’s a staying race, but you do need to travel round here.

“I sort of lost my place at halfway, but I wasn’t too worried as they went a good gallop early and just down the hill I was just trying to creep into it as I knew when I did go for him, he would pick up. Turning into the straight he put it to bed in a matter of strides.

“David has targeted this race all year for him and when I first rode him here at the beginning of the season he said this was his big target. We’ve got that now and hopefully he can keep improving.”

Fantastic Joe Anderson recovery sees Transmission click into gear

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Joe Anderson made an astonishing recovery to produce one of the rides of the season and register the biggest victory of his career aboard Transmission at Plumpton.

Placed the last twice in the hands of the conditional jockey, Neil Mulholland’s seven-year-old was sent off at 9-2 to claim the most valuable race on Sunday’s card, the BetGoodwin Sussex Stayers Handicap Hurdle.

However, victory seemed unlikely when an error early in the contest catapulted Anderson out of the saddle and clinging on for dear life around the horse’s neck.

He showed supreme horsemanship to vault back into the plate and then maintain the momentum aboard his mount as he eventually returned his feet to his stirrups.

Thanks to the extended three-mile trip, Anderson still had plenty of time to then gather his thoughts and approaching the home straight was travelling best of all aboard Transmission.

He was ridden and took the lead approaching the final flight of hurdles and stuck on gamely to the task at hand to record a two-and-a-quarter-length victory over Robert Walford’s Hititi.

“It was great and we were hopeful before the race, but we weren’t planning on what happened,” said Mulholland.

“The horse had a couple of good runs and was going the right way and speaking to his owner Paul McKeon, this race came up with plenty of money on offer and we decided to target it.

Transmission (pink cap) in action at Ascot in December
Transmission (pink cap) in action at Ascot in December (Steven Paston/PA)

“It was all going well until the first hurdle down the back and then it looked like it was all going wrong, but Joe made a fantastic recovery – he’s a good horseman and he’s ridden plenty of winners for us in the last year.

“It’s great for racing and it’s a good positive story. The applause the horse got when he came back in after the race, it was nice to be a part of it you know.”

He went on: “I’ve seen Paul Carberry at Leopardstown go under one side and come back up the other, but I’m not sure he won.

“For that to happen and then to win, it was a great result for me, for the owners, for Joe and for racing really.”

Anderson, speaking to Sky Sports Racing, added: “Thank God that is over and done with.

“I lost my irons and I thought he was going down – he did very well to stand up.

“I kept going for one of my irons but it had gone over my saddle, so I was trying to get it back and every time I moved he kept lighting up and then jumping the last second time around he settled away, so I was able to have a little play around and get it back. It’s very good he’s very good at jumping.”

He went on: “It wasn’t actually that uncomfortable to be honest with you and he jumps so well – if he was one who needed a good helping hand I might have struggled, but it worked out in the end.

“It will probably be one of those where I watch it back and it will make me look a bit better than I actually am, but it all worked well today.”