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THE weather could yet play an even bigger and negative role by the time you read this column, so fingers crossed the temperatures relent and we at least get some turf racing coming our way.

The big race at the County Meath track is the SBK Dan and Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at 1.45, a Grade B event over an extended two miles with the top weight Hunters Yarn at the top of the market for Willie Mullins.

A couple of years ago I suspect that connections, Simon Munir and Issac Souede, would have expected this eight-year-old to have been running in graded company, but apart from winning a Beginners Chase this time last year over the course and distance, he has only run twice since then. The first was a fair 22 lengths fifth of 10 in the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and then he was sidelined until last month when he jumped poorly when tailed off behind Energumene in the Hilly Way at Cork.