WHILE Irish racing has been hit by the cold snap this weekend, the main British fixtures may well survive. If they do, what is usually a quiet January Saturday will be a more showcase affair, with rescheduled meetings and races adding spice.

Despite a precautionary inspection planned for this morning, Kempton looks in good shape to host a card which has been bolstered by the addition of the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle (2:20) from Cheltenham’s abandoned New Year’s Day meeting.

When you’re weighing up courses, they don’t come much different than Kempton and Cheltenham, and the change of venue looks likely to suit the top two in the market, McFabulous and Younevercall, a sentiment echoed by both of their trainers.

Of McFabulous, Paul Nicholls wrote on his Betfair blog: “Switching this race to Kempton from Cheltenham’s abandoned card on New Year’s Day is a big plus for McFabulous.

“I was a bit nervous about him on deep ground at Cheltenham, and he will be much happier on better ground at Kempton – where he was so impressive over this distance in the EBF Final just before lockdown.

“He ran very well when third to Thyme Hill and Paisley Park at Newbury, and this trip looks perfect for him.”

Younevercall finished an excellent fourth to Paisley Park in the Long Walk Hurdle, having led jumping the last. Bailey, who will also send out Ryanair Chase joint favourite Imperial Aura in the Silviniaco Conti Chase, said of the lightly-raced 10-year-old: “He wants to go right-handed – and if this race had taken place at Cheltenham then he wouldn’t be running.

“He’s there – my only concern would be if this race is coming quick enough after Ascot, but as he’s 10 years old now, we’ll have to see. I’ve no problem dropping him down in trip – his run before the Long Walk was over similar, and he only just got beat.”

Summerville Boy won this race last season and some may suggest that the move away from Cheltenham is a negative for the nine-year-old. But his trainer Tom George is more positive about today’s trip of two and a half miles than anything else and said of the 2018 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner: “Summerville Boy is probably running over his optimum trip of two and a half miles.

“He’s very close to the best over three miles and very close to the best over two miles, but this is probably his optimum.

“He’s been running really consistently in some good races, and it’s nice to get him back over two and a half.”

IN-form Evan Williams must be praying that Chepstow survives the frost overnight given he has a well-treated favourite for the Coral Welsh National (3:10).

Welsh native Williams, based in the vale of Glamorgan, has yet to win the three-mile–six-furlong contest but may seldom have a better chance with the 8lb well-in Secret Reprieve.

The progressive seven-year-old won the trial for this race by an impressive 12 lengths and holds a current BHA rating of 142 but can race off 134 today, his old rating plus just a 4lb winners’ penalty because this was an early closing race.

The same applies to David Pipe’s grand servant Vieux Lion Rouge, who won the Becher Chase by all of 24 lengths after the weights for this contest were published. The 12-year-old is back up to a rating of 152 but can race off 144 today.

Should the card fail to beat the weather, there seams a fair chance the race won’t be rescheduled again, given its delay already.

Earlier on the card, juvenile hurdler Nassalam, a wide-margin winner on both of his starts, gets a chance to prove his real worth for Gary Moore in the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle (1:25). He faces an unknown quantity in Houx Gris, a French recruit having his first start for Paul Nicholls, and Adagio, trained by David Pipe.

Gordon Elliott had been hoping to run both Duffle Coat and Quilixios in this race but those plans were scuppered by the travel ban between Britain and Ireland which only ends today. Elliott, who has a serious team of juveniles this season, should get a good read on the form on the race through Adagio, who Duffle Coat beat on his previous run at Cheltenham.