Racing: Chilly Carlisle

HOPES of a return to normal racing service today may be nipped in the bud when Carlisle carries out an early morning inspection to determine whether racing will be possible. The course was frozen yesterday and below-zero temperatures are forecast, rendering the prospects poor.

Frost is also a possibility at the day's other turf meeting, Fontwell. The ravages of the weather have already cast doubt over Wednesday's Windsor meeting. An inspection is planned today to weigh up the effects of flooding.

The curtailed programme of recent weeks gave birth to a new form of novelty bet when Victor Chandler opened a book on where the firm's sponsored chase would be staged. Those who opposed Ascot's chances of surviving and took the 5-2 about Warwick may congratulate themselves on going through the card, but the meeting provided some more conventional pointers to future wagers.

Grand National prices for the main protagonists in the Warwick National contracted, with Saturday's winner Moorcroft Boy now as short as 14-1. The third, Into The Red, is now 20-1 with William Hill - the same as the 1992 Aintree victor Party Politics following news that he is to miss his intended race at Haydock on Saturday because of injury.