Storm Dennis set to be a menace as Sandown abandoned and Ascot, Haydock, Wincanton and Lingfield all at risk on Saturday

STORM Dennis is the latest front to menace the racing schedule.

After Friday’s card at Sandown was lost, all of Saturday’s major meetings look under threat.

PA:Press Association

Ascot, Haydock, Wincanton and Lingfield have all called early morning inspections to see if their feature cards can survive.

It will be a blow to the sport just a week after Storm Ciara decimated fixtures up and down the country.

Heavy rain is set to fall from Friday evening followed by gale force winds of up to 45mph on Saturday.

Chris Stickels, Clerk of the Course at Ascot, said: “We will continue to monitor the situation with regards Storm Dennis as the wind could reach 44mph and that would pose a risk to the infrastructure for the paying public and on the racecourse itself, depending from which way it is blowing from.”

A statement from Ascot said: “A precautionary inspection will be held at 8am on Saturday morning due to the strong winds forecast on Saturday.

“The forecast wind strength increases further from 11am, so it is possible that the precautionary inspection will pass at 8am and then we will continue to monitor the conditions.

“A further inspection will be called if conditions deteriorate to the extent that the race meeting is at risk.”

Even Sunday’s action at Exeter looks under threat with an inspection called on Saturday at 6PM.