RACING: Henrietta Knight has not ruled out the possibility of Impek lining up in for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month.

The 10-year-old, who finished third behind Kicking King in the Stan James King George VI Chase, is still entered in both the blue riband over three and a quarter miles and the Ryanair Chase over two miles, five furlongs.

And while the latter remains the 10-year-old's more likely assignment, Knight will liaise with Impek's owner Jim Lewis before committing to either race. "He's very well and a better horse when he's fresh so I'd hope he's in good form when he runs at Cheltenham," she said. "We have not decided about the Ryanair or the Gold Cup so it's still a possibility he could go for the longer distance.

"Terry (Biddlecombe) tells me he'll stay the distance in the Gold Cup but we'd have to wait and see and consult with Jim Lewis first."

Knight also has no qualms about giving Sam Thomas the chance to shine aboard Racing Demon at the festival.

Thomas looks set to replace Timmy Murphy in the Irish Independent Arkle as the latter is likely to be claimed by owner David Johnson for Don't By Shy in the two-mile contest.

"Sam comes down here every week and has ridden the horse regularly throughout the season," said Knight. "He's done all his early schooling with him and knows the horse extremely well."

Meanwhile, today's meeting at Sandown is subject to a 7.30am precautionary inspection this morning.

With the threat of frost and snow clerk of the course Andrew Cooper must take a look at the Esher track ahead of the six-race card, which begins at 2pm.

Cooper said: "From around 2pm we started getting some quite heavy snow, which started to settle through the latter part of the afternoon.

"What was drizzly, sleety rain earlier in the day has increasingly become snow, which has increasingly started to settle around the place.

"I think we have the prospect of further snow showers during the evening and overnight with possibly some freezing temperatures to go along with it."