The chances of Leopardstown passing this morning's 7.00 inspection are described as no more than 50-50. Already contingency plans have been drawn up to move today's prestigious card to Monday if the waterlogged track fails to get the green light.
Failure would be another blow to the south Dublin track, which couldn't race yesterday after 16mms of overnight rain left the stewards with no option but to call off racing.
That included the Paddy Power Handicap Chase and the €170,000 feature, along with the rest of the Friday programme, has been transferred to tomorrow.
The original Sunday card has been scrapped, apart from the Evening Herald December Festival Hurdle which is scheduled to be the first of a new eight-race Sunday fixture, starting at noon.
The focus however will be on the stewards this morning when they decide if one of the most valuable day's racing of the Christmas holidays can go ahead.
Leopardstown racing manager Tom Burke said yesterday evening:
"It has been dry since about midday but we will need every drying moment there is. We can't have more rain but we also need drying conditions and there is no wind at the moment.
"The cancellation has caused an awful lot of problems. Corporate stuff has had to be reorganised and bookings had already been taken for Sunday so there has been a lot of sorting out to do," he said.
"We just had no chance in the morning - 16mms fell between two and seven. If the forecast is correct we would be reasonably hopeful but still, I would say our chances of racing on Saturday are no more than 50-50."
Burke confirmed there was a contingency plan being put in place if the track failed this morning's inspection.
The card, featuring the Grade One Ericsson Chase and the clash of Limestone Lad and Bannow Bay in the woodiesdiy.com Christmas Hurdle, will be moved to Monday.
Two years ago, the third day of the festival was moved three days forward and run on New Year's Eve due to bad weather. The fourth day was lost.
Tickets purchased for racing yesterday will be valid tomorrow and those unable to attend the rearranged card will receive a full refund.
Not surprisingly, the forecast ground conditions at Leopardstown are "heavy", which will test both Limestone Lad and Bannow Bay in their eagerly awaited clash.
Bannow Bay, trained by Christy Roche, beat his popular rival by a length in an epic clash for last year's race and also won the three-mile contest in 2000.
However, Limestone Lad, one of just four horses trained under permit by the Bowe family in Co Kilkenny, is on a streak of four wins in a row and is seeking the 34th victory of his career.
Another highlight will be the Ericsson Chase, where the JP McManus-owned First Gold, trained in France by François Doumen, will be having his second Irish start of December.
Earlier in the month, First Gold travelled to Punchestown for the John Durkan Memorial Chase and finished third behind Native Upmanship and Rince Ri. First Gold will be ridden by the trainer's son, Thierry, and faces six Irish-trained steeplechasers, including the star novice, Beef Or Salmon, who has won both his starts over fences to date.
