RACING: Freezing temperatures continue to play havoc with the racing programme in Britain. Hereford's planned meeting today became the latest casualty when an inspection yesterday left officials with little option but to concede defeat.
As a result the prospect of any jumping in Britain this afternoon rests with Fontwell, whose card survived an inspection earlier yesterday but must do the same this morning at 7.30.
Today's scheduled meeting at Thurles was also abandoned yesterday due to frost. And Naas yesterday was deemed unraceable after temperatures dipped sharply overnight.
Prospects for jumping on Tuesday look equally slim. Sedgefield was abandoned yesterday and Leicester must pass an inspection at 9.15 this morning. The cold picture was completed by news that Newbury's meeting on Wednesday is in doubt (inspection has been called for 4 p.m. today).
Meanwhile, Paul Carberry and his great rival Barry Geraghty continued to dominate the jumping scene at home when they both recorded doubles at Cork on Saturday. Carberry had to produce a storming finish on Dee-One-O-One in the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork And Bantry Handicap Chase over two miles to defy a 6lb penalty picked up last Tuesday at Punchestown.
Carberry's mount will be given a break now by trainer Pat Martin after rallying bravely on the run-in to catch Rattothetattat.
And Carberry is a hard man to overcome in a tight finish and he got back up aboard the 2-1 favourite to prevail by a head before recording an easier success half an hour later on Mr Sneaky Boo, a 6 to 1 shot, in the McCarthy Insurance Group Fermoy Handicap Hurdle.
Yet another winner for the in-form Michael Hourigan stable, Mr Sneaky Boo arrived full of running turning into the home straight before drawing readily clear to score by two lengths from Reminiscer.
Geraghty then got in on the act. Kicking King was sent off the 4 to 5 favourite for the McCarthy Insurance Group Waterford And Clonmel Hurdle and did not let his supporters down, eventually coming home eight lengths in front of The Dark Flasher, whose effort was short lived after a mistake two out.
Soltero, 7 yo 2, likewise won cosily for Geraghty in the beginners' chase to make amends for coming down on his previous two starts over fences at Fairyhouse and Punchestown.
The Gatherer was odds-on to compensate for his exit on his chasing debut at Fairyhouse when travelling like a winner three out, but was unable to match Soltero in the home straight and a bad mistake at the last by the favourite allowed Soltero to coast home for Geraghty.
