TODAY'S race meeting at Worcester will go ahead as planned despite last week's fire that damaged vital television and commentary lines and threatened the fixture.

The blaze, on Friday morning, also ruined three hospitality boxes and a bar at Pitchcroft, with damage running into the thousands. However, Arena Leisure has worked round the clock to ensure this afternoon's racing is on.

"It is definitely going ahead," said hospitality manager Jenny Cheshire.

"We have had people working at the ground all day on Monday and Tuesday and we will be up-and-running." The course has repeatedly been the target of vandals and last week's fire was the third of the season, prompting plans for CCTV cameras to be installed.

Arena, which believes the fire was deliberately started, is calling for a bumper crowd to attend this afternoon to boost Pitchcroft. "We have some great runners and we are asking people to please come down and support the course," said Ms Cheshire.

The first race is at 2.20pm and the last at 5.15pm.

Yesterday, the going was said to be good to firm and the course had been watered ahead of the afternoon's big races.