Cheltenham to inspect ahead of New Year's Day meeting due to heavy rain

Cheltenham will stage an 8.30am inspection on Wednesday before its New Year's Day meeting following 85mm of rain in the last week.

A staggering 150mm of rain has fallen at the track this month and, following a further 5mm on Tuesday, the going is heavy, waterlogged in places.

"Regrettably, conditions have deteriorated today," said clerk of the course Simon Claisse on Tuesday. "We had a further 5mm of rain, sleet and snow and those spells have flooded the course on three occasions.

"We've had a lot of rain in the last week on ground that was already soft and as it stands we would have to omit four fences and one hurdle, while the track is waterlogged across its width in two areas.

Cheltenham's New Year's Day card

"With the forecast still showing the possibility of more sleet and snow, we've had to call an inspection before raceday. However, we've continued preparations and have extended the fences today."

Cheltenham's meeting is scheduled to feature two Grade 2s, the Dipper Novices' Chase and the Relkeel Hurdle.

The ground is likely to be testing at Sandown the following day, as the track prepares to stage the Grade 1 Unibet Tolworth Novices' Hurdle (2.25), one of four races set to be broadcast on ITV4.

Sandown: where the going is heavy, soft in places on the hurdle courseCredit: Edward Whitaker

On Tuesday, the ground at the track was heavy, soft in places on the hurdle course, while the chase course was soft, heavy in places.

"It's raceable now but we've got to take it day by day given the nature of the forecast," said clerk of the course Andrew Cooper. "We probably won't know exactly where we are until Saturday itself.

"There are some threats of snow on Wednesday and Friday, and we've had a lot of rain since our last meeting earlier this month. We need the weather to be kind but there's a good chance of that."

Exeter is set to stage a seven-race card on New Year's Day and the going on Tuesday was heavy, soft in places but there is the prospect of ice, snow and sleet at the track this week.

There have been a spate of cancellations this week. On Monday, Haydock called off its Wednesday meeting after 100mm of snow and Uttoxeter cancelled its Thursday meeting due to waterlogging.

Fixtures at Leicester, Fontwell and Chepstow – forced to reschedule the Welsh National to January 9 – were also called off in the past few days but there was good news on Tuesday as Newbury, Kelso and Doncaster were given the green light, despite late inspections.

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