RACEGOERS anxious to see 1995 Ebor Handicap winner Sanmartino make his hurdling debut were again thwarted by the weather as Leicester's meeting yesterday fell to thick fog, despite persistent attempts by the racecourse executive to save the card.

Sanmartino, was due to start his winter career at Uttoxeter last Thursday but that fixture fell victim to frost and the Salse entire may now run in the Friends Of The ISRT Novices' Hurdle at Huntingdon on Tuesday.

The stewards gave the meeting every chance, putting back racing by 15 minutes at 12.05, 12.18, 12.35 and 12.50 before finally and reluctantly conceding defeat at 13.05 as fog restricted visibility to 50 yards.