SNOW has forced the abandonment of this afternoon's horseracing meeting at Sedgefield.

Officials held an inspection at 9am and had hoped conditions would improve enough to race.

They called a further check for 11am but were forced to admit defeat, with temperatures not rising quickly enough to melt the snow.

Clerk of the course Phil Tuck said: "Unfortunately the weather has beaten us. At quarter to six I was very hopeful, but the damage was done between half past six and seven oclock.

"It snowed very heavily and that put us into difficulties as the rise in temperature was not sufficient to shift it."

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