This afternoon's meeting at Haydock Park was abandoned barely 30 minutes before the scheduled off time of the first race.
Having survived an 8am inspection, the frost covers that had been deployed over the whole of the track appeared to have done their job.
However, temperatures failed to rise which meant the fences were frozen and as the covers were removed the ground was freezing.
Clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright said: ‘The meeting was called off because of unsafe conditions underfoot and the frozen fences.
‘The frost covers did their job but as we lifted them, and it takes three hours to complete the job, the ground was freezing behind us.
‘We used John Kettley (weather forecaster), we have done for six years, to give us a forecast for Haydock and he felt that the temperature would get up to zero but it never did and he got it wrong on this occasion.
‘As I said at 8am, the course was fit to race then and we were expecting to go ahead then but the weather has beaten us - it is snowing now and has been for a while and that has not helped.’
Haydock managing director Dickon White said: ‘We had the covers down on Tuesday morning but unfortunately when the covers came off the ground was still frozen.
‘It's always difficult and we try to keep people informed as to what's happening - the public, trainers and jockeys.
‘I think we did everything possible to get this meeting on and the elements went against us.
‘The forecast today was for it to get above freezing. It hasn't done that and it is a difficult situation. I think we would have done exactly the same, but we will do a full review of this as we do everytime and we will have a full investigation.
‘The ground staff have done a great job but conditions have gone against us.’
