Gary Moore is unsure whether Harry Tricker, one of the leading fancies for Saturday's totesport Trophy at Newbury, can overcome his steep rise in the weights.

The six-year-old won a Sandown handicap off 121 in November before running a cracker behind Champion Hurdle fancy Khyber Kim in the Greatwood a week later. However he races off 138 this weekend as he aims to add to Moore's haul in the valuable handicap.

"I don't know if Harry Tricker can overcome the 17lb rise, it's a tough one, it's a massive rise. He's had a good build-up, he's had a fair good break and I think he runs well fairly fresh but it is a massive rise in the weights. I suppose he half deserves it for running so close to Khyber Kim," said Moore.

This afternoon's meeting at Sedgefield is set to go ahead after the track passed an 8am inspection.

The course was hit by snow showers in the early morning and despite a slight covering, clerk of the course Charlie Moore felt confident enough to give the meeting the green light.

"We had snow between 5.30am and 6am but we didn't have a problem by 7.30am when I was all set to say we were fit to race," said Moore.

This afternoon's meeting at Fairyhouse will go ahead as planned after the track passed a 7.30am inspection.

The frost that was forecast failed to materialise and racing will start at 1.55pm.

Cliff Noone, press officer for the Irish Turf Club, said: "It's on, everything is fine. The frost they thought they were going to get didn't arrive. The ground remains heavy."

Carlisle have been forced to call an 8am precautionary inspection ahead of tomorrow's meeting due to the threat of frost.

The temperatures overnight are due to drop to around minus 3C, however daytime temperatures are forecast to be well above freezing. As a precaution the take-offs, landings and crossings have already been covered.

"If the forecast is correct we should be fine but if it is out by a degree or two either way there might be a little question mark," said clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch.

Jimmy Fortune is set to ride as a freelance jockey after losing his job at John Gosden's to William Buick.

Fortune, who has turned down the opportunity to ride as stable jockey to Andrew Balding, saw his seven-year association with Gosden come to a head after he was overlooked at the Breeders' Cup for the second successive year.

"I think, and hope, I've made the right decision," Fortune told the Daily Express.

Victor Dartnall is weighing up several options for Exmoor Ranger after his last-gasp defeat to Monkerhostin over the weekend.

Last season's useful novice had missed a number of targets due to the weather in recent weeks, meaning he had not raced since winning a Newbury handicap in November. Reappearing in the totesport Masters Handicap Chase at Sandown, Exmoor Ranger seemed to have it in the bag before Philip Hobbs' veteran caught him in the final strides.

"His jumping was flawless and perhaps now his TV critics will leave that subject alone. He will now head for either the Racing Post Chase or the William Hill Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival," Dartnall told his website.

Quevega could make her belated debut for this campaign in the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran Park on Saturday.

Willie Mullins' David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle winner hasn't been seen since struggling at Auteuil last May but is being primed for a defence of her Cheltenham crown.

Her jockey Ruby Walsh is sweet on the six-year-old repeating her Festival exploits and told Racing UK: "I'm really looking forward to riding Quevega in the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle Race. She won the race impressively last year and felt in great form when I rode her recently."

Hereford have made an early bid to save Sunday's card by covering the whole track with fleece.

Having lost their last two meetings to adverse weather, clerk of the course Katie Stephens is hoping for better luck this week.

"We are hoping that we can emerge from hibernation on Sunday. It will be at the third time of asking in 2010 because snow and ice led to our first two scheduled fixtures having to be abandoned," said Stephens.

Paul Nicholls believes the experience Tony McCoy will get from riding Denman in Saturday's Aon Chase at Newbury will prove "invaluable" ahead of their big clash with Kauto Star in March.

McCoy landed the plum mount on the 2008 Gold Cup winner after Ruby Walsh chose to stay loyal to Kauto Star for the totesport-sponsored blue riband.

"It made sense that if AP was going to ride him at Cheltenham that he would have one ride on him beforehand so that was the obvious thing to do," said Nicholls."

Paul Nicholls believes the totepool Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on Saturday will do Master Minded "the world of good" after his break.

Clive Smith's seven-year-old suffered his first defeat since April 2008 in the Connaught Chase at Cheltenham in November, after which it was discovered he had been running with a fractured rib. He has been back in work since early January but Nicholls admitted he will improve for the run.

"He hasn't been back in work all that long from his fractured rib but I'm happy with him. Whatever he does, the run will bring him on enormously," said Nicholls.