Following an inspection this morning, the track at Leopardstown is fit for racing and the fixture scheduled for today goes ahead. The ground remains heavy and the first race is due off at 1.15pm.

Lorcan Wyer, IHRB clerk of the course at Leopardstown, said: “The ground remains heavy and fit for racing. We had no measurable rain at the track in the last 24 hours and some strong winds. Today looks to be mainly sunny and breezy. The running rail for today is set six yards out from the innermost flat line.”

Leopardstown is the sole survivor of the three scheduled Irish meetings this weekend, following the loss of the Curragh on Saturday and Downpatrick on Sunday.

Saturday’s Curragh meeting failed an early-morning inspection and Downpatrick followed suit shortly afterwards.

Already this week Clonmel (Thursday) and Wexford (Friday) were waterlogged off and next Tuesday’s Navan meeting has already been cancelled. Clonmel and Wexford also failed to race the previous week, as did Gowran Park.

Niall Cronin, Head of Communications for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said: “It’s surely unprecedented to have so many cancellations in such a short period. It’s been a trying time for anyone working outdoors, especially farmers.

“However, I would like to give credit to the clerk, managers and groundstaff at the tracks who have raced recently. Often it is purely because of their track management that racing has gone ahead and with fresh ground in many cases.”

Point-to-points

Point-to-points have also been badly affected, at a time of year when handlers are hoping to run some of their best prospects ahead of marquee sales at Aintree, Punchestown and Cheltenham. Today’s Taylorstown meeting in Newry was cancelled a week ago and the Waterford Foxhounds fixture at Curraghmore scheduled to take place this afternoon has also been cancelled due to the track being waterlogged.

Sunday’s Ballynoe fixture was called off yesterday.

The Louth meeting at Tattersalls is the sole remaining Sunday fixture between the flags.

British update

Sunday's turf meetings at Bath, Carlisle and Exeter go ahead.

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