The valuable card at Ascot which features the Grade One Ascot Chase is the only jumps meeting in Britain on Saturday which does not face a morning inspection as an “arctic blast” expected to last until early next week causes disruption to the racing programme, less than a month before the festival meeting at Cheltenham.
Wincanton, where Alexei, an improving 25-1 shot for the Champion Hurdle on 10 March, is due to go on trial in the Kingwell Hurdle, will hold a precautionary inspection at 8am GMT with temperatures forecast to drop below freezing overnight.
