Hopes are high today's star-studded meeting at Newbury will go ahead. Yesterday's card at the Berkshire track was lost to waterlogging and there were fears that today's fixture, which features the return to action of Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite First Gold in the Aon Chase, would follow suit.

A spell of dry weather and a favourable forecast have brought the meeting back from the brink, although an inspection will take place. Clerk of the course Mark Kershaw said: "We've been drying well today and it is full steam ahead. But in view of the fact that we have been in doubt we will have a purely precautionary inspection at 7.0am.

"The forecast is for clear skies, becoming frosty overnight and getting down to -1C, maybe -2C. But towards dawn, cloud will spread from the south-west with temperatures rising."

The going is soft, heavy in places on the chase course, where the cross fence will be omitted, and heavy on the hurdle course.

Inspections are also set to take place for the meetings at Ayr and Haydock. At the Scottish track, officials will check conditions at 6.30am. Clerk of the course Richard Pridham said: "There will be an inspection at 6.30am. But there is a frost forecast tonight."

Prospects are brighter for Haydock's meeting. Racecourse manager Adam Waterworth said: "We've got a precautionary inspection at 7.30am.

"It is raceable today. The going is heavy but it has been a lovely, dry day. There is a slight frost forecast for tonight but we are very confident."

Frankie Dettori continued his great start to the season with a double on Flight Pattern and Zoning at Jebel Ali yesterday. Dettori's first ride back was on Thursday when Godolphin's Best Of The Bests destroyed his rivals in the second leg of the Maktoum Challenge.

Flight Pattern, trained by Graeme Rogerson, got the ball rolling with a length and a half win in the five-furlong Jebel Ali Sprint.

And the Italian also captured the other feature event on the card aboard the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Zoning in the Jebel Ali Mile Prep.