Ascot's clerk of the course Nick Cheyne will hold an inspection of the track at 8.00 a.m. today to determine the fate of the hurdle races on tomorrow's card.

Should it fail the inspection, the course will stage a five-race chase card instead of the eight-heat fixture which includes three hurdles races.

"The going remains as given at the moment, soft on the chase course, heavy in places, heavy on the hurdles course," said Cheyne.

No inspection has yet been called for tomorrow's other turf meeting, at Kelso, but clerk of the course Johnnie Fenwicke-Clennell warned: "We had a shower this morning and we wouldn't want any more significant rain."

Although Haydock Park, due to stage the Peter Marsh Chase on Saturday, lost its last card to the weather, clerk of the course Philip Arkwright was upbeat about the prospects for the weekend.

Frank Pengelly, head grounds-man at Kempton, forecast soft ground for Saturday's meeting, saying: "At this time it is soft with heavy patches. The forecast is to be dry from tomorrow lunchtime, so I would expect us to be soft on Saturday, but no problems."