Racing: Jump meetings off after downpour

Lingfield's all-weather Flat meeting is today's sole surviving fixture after the jumping cards at Southwell, Carlisle and Stratford were all abandoned yesterday due to waterlogging.

Lingfield's all-weather Flat meeting is today's sole surviving fixture after the jumping cards at Southwell, Carlisle and Stratford were all abandoned yesterday due to waterlogging.

Five meetings are scheduled for tomorrow, but Warwick was abandoned yesterday after heavy rain, while Fontwell depends on an inspection at 3pm today. No problems are as yet reported at tomorrow's other jump meetings at Cheltenham and Catterick or on the all-weather at Wolverhampton.

The going at Fontwell is currently described as heavy, with waterlogging in places. Clerk of the course Geoff Stickels said: "We have more showers coming through but the main band of rain has passed giving us 15mm overnight and this morning. We are forecast some more showery outbursts, some may be heavy, so it is very much 50-50 at this time."

On Wednesday Leicester have abandoned the three hurdle races. Three extra chases have been added to the card and the going on the chase track is described as good to soft, soft in places, and no problems are expected. Clerk of the course Nick Lees said: "We had 11mm of rain overnight but it was expected. The weather should clear up in the next few hours or so."

Unless the weather improves more meetings could be called off later in the week with Folkestone on Thursday and Hexham on Friday currently waterlogged in places.