Saturday's card at the Easter Festival at Fairyhouse cancelled due to 21mm of rain overnight

Saturday's card at Fairyhouse has been cancelled due to the wet conditions leaving surface water on the track with an inspection due ahead of Sunday's action.

"Following 21mm of rain overnight, the track at Fairyhouse is currently unfit for racing due to surface water lying in areas of the track. The fixture scheduled for today has been cancelled," the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board said.

"There will be a further inspection tomorrow (Sunday) morning at 7.30am ahead of racing on Sunday. It is currently raining at present with the rain to ease early this afternoon. Where raceable, the ground is soft to heavy."

The abandoned day's racing will now take place on Tuesday meaning the first day of the three-day Festival will become the last.

Sunday’s card at Fairyhouse is subject to a 7.30am inspection. Fairyhouse's general manager Peter Roe says he is "as confident as I can be" that it will go ahead.

The going is described as soft to heavy but it’s the standing water, after 21mm overnight, that has given the track a headache.

Easter Saturday at the Ratoath course was also due to see the Most Stylish Person competition take place.

The winner and their guest would have enjoyed an overnight stay in a luxury suite along with dinner at Tankardstown and a thrilling helicopter ride around the Boyne Valley. The prize also included a unique wellbeing experience at Wellness At The Coach House, in Tullyallen and a private tour of leading racehorse trainer Noel Meade’s Tu Va Stables.

More to follow....