Storm Darragh to prompt inspections at Aintree/Sandown

Sandown's Betfair Tingle Creek Chase meeting and the Boylesports Becher Chase fixture at Aintree on Saturday must pass precautionary inspections due to the threat of high winds from Storm Darragh.

There is racing in Ireland this evening at Dundalk, tomorrow at Navan and on Sunday at Cork (Live on RTÉ2/Player) but so far there are no indications those meetings could be affected, and the status orange wind warnings this side of the Irish Sea are only in effect until 10am on Saturday.

The sole early GAA action on Saturday is the Munster Club IFC final between Austin Stacks of Kerry and Tipperary's Aherlow in Mallow (1.30pm) though heavy rain could spark pitch inspections, with the Munster and Ulster SFC club finals due to be decided on Sunday.

Connacht host Zebre in rugby's Challenge Cup at the Sportsground (5.30pm) on Saturday.

Galway is under a red weather warning today but conditions are expected to have calmed by tomorrow evening.

Sandown clerk of the course at Andrew Cooper is concerned about forecast gusts of up to 50mph during racing and will check conditions at 7.30am tomorrow.

"We’re expecting it to remain dry during racing on Friday before rain gets to us in the early evening. That will clear overnight, but that will bring increased winds," said Cooper.

"There are some suggestions the winds will be at their strongest at around midday time – and gusts of up to 50mph plus, possibly from first thing but certainly from mid-morning.

"A few of us have been kicking this situation around for 48 hours and the common consent seems to be that 50mph seems to be the tipping point, and arguably 45mph.

"You’ve got to take into account all aspects of putting on a day of racing, not just from an equine and rider point of view but for the