Cheltenham set for Friday inspection with Cross Country race already abandoned
New Course at Cheltenham was raceable on Thursday but the track will undergo a 7.30am precautionary inspection ahead of Friday's racing; Cross Country Chase will not take place due to frozen ground and no chance of significant change; plan is to run a six-race card
Thursday 8 December 2022 17:13, UK
Cheltenham will undertake a precautionary inspection at 7:30am to deem whether racing goes ahead on Friday but the Cross Country race will not be run.
The two-day International Meeting at Cheltenham is scheduled to begin on Friday but a possible low of -4C overnight has left racing in the balance.
The Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase was due to open the card at 12.05pm but that has been called off due to that track being frozen.
A statement on the Cheltenham Racecourse social media feed on Thursday stated: "Despite slight improvement today, following the 1pm inspection, the Cross Country Chase will not take place due to frozen ground and no chance of significant change. Racing will now begin at 12:40pm tomorrow and run a six-race card."
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Inspections called for big-race weekend in Ireland
Freezing conditions in Ireland have cast doubt over the meetings at Cork and Punchestown on Sunday.
Cork will inspect at midday on Saturday for its seven-race card on Sunday, which is due to feature the return of Champion Chase winner Energumene in the Grade 2 Bar One Racing Hilly Way Chase.
Punchestown is considering restaging the seven-race card on Tuesday if the weather claims Sunday's meeting where the Grade One John Durkan Chase is the feature on the card.
It is expected that temperatures at Punchestown will drop to -3C overnight into Sunday.
"We're watching and waiting," racing manager Richie Galway said on Thursday. "We're taking every precaution we can. We've covered the vulnerable areas and are making sure the chase and hurdle tracks are entirely fresh.
"It's a watching brief. Right now, it's perfectly raceable but the overnight frost is forecast to be sharp. The daytime temperatures probably won't increase, but we're keen to go as planned on Sunday.
"We're conscious of the strength of the John Durkan and we'll review the situation in the morning. We've had a brief discussion on a potential restaging but the John Durkan will have to be run quickly in advance of the Christmas calendar. Tuesday might be an option."
