PARTS of Leopardstown racecourse are drowning after more than six inches of rain hammered the famed track and left it flooded just days before the Dublin Racing Festival.
A yellow weather warning is in place for all of Ireland amid torrential rain, howling winds and snowstorms brought on by Storm Chandra.
The fixture list has been hit in Britain and Ireland with Limerick off today and Leicester and Exeter canned tomorrow.
Sandown’s Grade 1 Saturday card is under threat too, with the BHA drawing up contingency plans to make it an all chase affair with the hurdles track ‘saturated’.
Everyone will be holding their breath and praying that Leopardstown drains as well as it can to ensure the two-day festival starts without a hitch on Saturday.
The Dublin Racing Festival is Ireland’s biggest jumps festival and the last major meeting before Cheltenham in March.
Willie Mullins has been preparing his big guns, including Galopin Des Champs’ bid for a record fourth Irish Gold Cup.
Lossiemouth is all set to contest Sunday’s Irish Champion Hurdle while Supreme hero of last year Kopek Des Bordes returns from injury in the Irish Arkle.
But everything hinges on whether or not the racecourse will be in a fit state to host the 15 races.
This exclusive footage shows the extent of flooding at the left-handed circuit, situated just outside Dublin.
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