Not even the sub-zero temperatures look like disrupting a busy weekend programme in Ireland, and Fairyhouse are predicting no problems with this afternoon's fixture.

"It got down to minus three last night but it was plus one by 8.30 and we don't anticipate any problems. We could have raced by 11.0 today and there is no inspection planned," said the Fairyhouse manager Dick Sheil.

There was a similarly upbeat bulletin from Leopardstown about their Sunday fixture, and even though Clonmel will hold a 10 a.m. inspection tomorrow morning, the authorities there are also confident of getting the green light.

"Frost is an unusual problem for us. Rain is our problem normally. But there is a heavy frost, getting down to minus four or five, forecast for the next couple of nights," said Clonmel manager Jerry Desmond.

"Having said that, if you get any bit of sun at all at this time of year you would have to be very unlucky not to be able to go ahead. I would say we are 80 per cent confident at the very least about racing," he added.

Just five line up for this afternoon's conditions hurdle and the figures suggest this should be a suitable opportunity for Florida Coast to strike out in his own right. The Bowe horse has been playing second fiddle to his stable companion Solerina all season, but a 139 rating looks too hot for this kind of opposition.

Decent ground should be ideal for the belated hurdling debut of the smart flat horse One Won One in the maiden hurdle. The 10-year-old has won 12 times in his illustrious career on the level and was reported to be a sound jumper before an abortive hurdles entry last year.

In the long term, however, it is the bumper that looks the most significant race with Overbury Affair trying to book his place in the Wetherbys Champion Bumper. This O'Grady runner, as low as 12 to 1 for Cheltenham, did well to win on soft ground on his debut at Christmas and should relish dryer conditions.

The interest will come from the form link with another O'Grady horse, Forty Licks, who was a too good for Homer Wells at Navan recently.