Hopes high at Ascot

Officials at Ascot are confident Saturday's high-profile meeting will go ahead as scheduled.The Berkshire venue is due to stage a seven-race card featuring the Grade One Victor Chandler Chase and although conditions are likely to be testing, clerk of the course Chris Stickels is optimistic racing will go ahead."We're forecast a dry couple of days and then we could get some sleet and maybe snow on Wednesday," said Stickels."After that we are likely to get some rain showers through until Saturday and we'll just have to see how much arrives."We are soft, heavy in places at the moment and if it remains dry for the next day or two I'd imagine we might lose the heavy places."The rain later in the week is obviously going to make it testing ground but I have no worries about the meeting going ahead at this stage."