PROSPECTS FOR jumps racing in Ireland and Britain this week look bleak as the Arctic conditions continue to bite.

Tomorrow’s meeting at Navan was cancelled yesterday due to snow, and with further unfavourable weather forecast for the days ahead prospects for racing at Fairyhouse on Thursday and into the weekend at Clonmel, Navan and Punchestown look quite poor.

National Hunt fixtures in Britain have already been hit and with no end in sight to the cold spell, more blank days are likely.

Yesterday’s meeting at Folkestone finally had to give in to snow after twice being given the go-ahead.

Runners were at the start for the first race at 12.25pm, but had to return as conditions deteriorated. Clerk of the course Andrew Waitt said: “I’m absolutely gutted as the team worked incredibly hard to try to get racing on, but the decision was taken out of our hands. Ice was balling under the horses’ hooves at the start and when they cantered back to the stands it was coming out.

“The stewards decided in the interests of safety to abandon.”

Tomorrow’s meeting at Ayr and Catterick have also gone by the wayside. Five inches of snow is reported to be lying on the track at Catterick. An 8am inspection today will decide if tomorrow’s other jumps meeting at Plumpton will go ahead.

The situation is no better on Thursday with Fairyhouse keeping the fingers crossed for their re-arranged Grade One card and Leicester and Market Rasen are having a look at 10am today, while Wincanton aim to hold out until 24 hours later.

Officials at Sandown admit their two-day meeting, featuring the Tingle Creek Chase on Saturday, could be in the balance unless conditions improve dramatically.

“It’s not looking great at this stage,” clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said.

Such is the outlook next Monday’s fixture at Bangor is already looking grim. An 11am inspection on Friday has been called, with frost the major issue.

Clerk of the course Ed Gretton said: “Parts of the course are frozen, not the whole course.

“With the cold snap continuing, we’ll be holding an inspection at 11am on Friday.

“We’ll make a decision at what we’re going to do, and get an updated weather forecast, at that time.”

On course state of play

TODAY: Hereford (cancelled); Lingfield (all-weather, no problems anticipated), Southwell (aw, No problems anticipated).

TOMORROW:Navan (cancelled), Ayr (cancelled), Catterick (cancelled), Kempton (aw, no problems anticipated), Plumpton (inspection).

THURSDAY: Fairyhouse (monitoring), Leicester (inspection), Market Rasen (inspection), Wincanton (inspection), Wolverhampton (aw, monitoring), Lingfield (aw).

FRIDAY:Dundalk (aw, no problems anticipated), Lingfield (aw, no problems anticipated), Sandown (monitoring), Wolverhampton (aw, monitoring), Exeter.

SATURDAY: Navan (doubtful).

SUNDAY:Clonmel (monitoring), Punchestown (monitoring).