Punchestown raceable and 'no problems expected' ahead of John Durkan card

There are no problems expected for Punchestown's rescheduled John Durkan card on Monday after the track was deemed raceable on Sunday afternoon and no further inspections are planned.

The Grade 1 card, which features Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs, was originally due to take place last Sunday, December 11, but the big freeze put paid to that date and it was pushed back eight days.

The course was unraceable all week but the thaw has arrived in the nick of time and it is now raceable. The going is yielding, yielding to soft in places and the forecast is for showers overnight and into tomorrow with 5-7mm of rainfall expected to hit the course.

There will be fresh ground in use on both the hurdle and chase tracks.

Conor O'Neill, chief executive at Punchestown, said: "Thankfully the thaw has arrived and we are now raceable ahead of a cracking card on Monday. We don't envisage any problems overnight and it's all systems go. The John Durkan is a very important race on the calendar and it's great that we will get to stage it here at Punchestown. It should be a great day and what better way to start Christmas week."

Horse Racing Ireland has announced that Sunday's Navan fixture will not be rescheduled.

The Grade 2 Tote Navan Novice Hurdle has been moved to Naas on Tuesday to make it an eight-race card with original declarations to stand. The track passed an inspection on Monday morning with the ground described as yielding, yielding to soft in places.

The NavanRacecourse.ie Rated Novice Chase will now be held at Fairyhouse on Wednesday to form another eight-race card. This race will revert back to entries at weights stage and will close for fresh declarations along with the rest of the Fairyhouse card by 10am on Monday.

As a result of the Bective Stud Tea Rooms Handicap Hurdle not taking place at Navan and not being moved elsewhere, the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle, a qualifier for the Final at the Cheltenham Festival in March, will now have a value of €50,000, up from €30,000.

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