Newcastle off due to frozen track

Today's race meeting at Newcastle has been abandoned after the course was once again subjected to freezing temperatures overnight…

Today's race meeting at Newcastle has been abandoned after the course was once again subjected to freezing temperatures overnight.

Parts of the track had been frozen solid since last Tuesday and hopes were raised yesterday by rising temperatures.

But, according to clerk of the course James Armstrong, the meeting came just a day too so.

"We probably would have been able to race tomorrow," said Armstrong.

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"Unfortunately though it dropped to as low as minus five on the far side of the track last night and despite it thawing for most of the day yesterday it was in effect just topping up the ground frost.

"It is trying to rain as well but it is just above freezing at the moment. The final straw is the predicted temperature. We got as high as plus six yesterday but it is only forecast to reach two degrees today."