Plans in air as trainers await news regarding possible rescheduling

Discussions have taken place regarding the rescheduling of key races from this weekend, but no decisions can be made until after the BHA decides on Monday whether racing can resume next week.

Newbury chief executive Julian Thick said: "There have been various conversations about rescheduling but at the moment everyone is quite rightly dealing with the situation we’re in.

"Once we've some certainty about when racing will be able to resume I’m sure we’ll have conversations with the BHA and sponsors to see what’s most appropriate, but it’s a waiting game.

"It’s too early to say but my gut feeling at the moment is that some of the races from our Betfair Hurdle meeting could be salvaged if there was the demand, but it’s something we’ll assess once the picture becomes clearer."

Julian Thick: 'My gut feeling is that some of the races from our Betfair Hurdle meeting could be salvaged'Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Nigel Twiston-Davies is among the many trainers hit hard by the cancellation of key races at a crucial stage of the season and he is resigned to Ballyhill missing the Randox Health Grand National after the loss of Newbury's Betfair Denman Chase cost the eight-year-old a last opportunity of gaining a first-four qualifying finish over three miles.

He said: "The Denman Chase was key to Ballyhill because he has to finish in the first four over three miles before the National weights are published next week, so he's out of the race unfortunately."

The Grand National weights lunch will go ahead as planned in Liverpool on Tuesday, despite the equine flu scare.

Aintree canvassed opinion among the 20 trainers due to attend the ceremony, some of whose yards are under lockdown, and they gave their support for the event taking place.

The BHA was also consulted and chief executive Nick Rust said: “We're pleased Aintree has considered wider industry context as it stands at present.

“We don't yet know the full extent of the current issues with equine influenza, and will be in a better position by Monday, but this important event proceeds with our support."

The weights lunch, held in London for the past 42 years, is being staged in Liverpool for the first time and will reveal the handiwork of new BHA chase team leader Martin Greenwood.

Twiston-Davies, meanwhile, also trains the longtime Betfair Hurdle favourite Al Dancer, as well as two others who were intended runners on Saturday.

He said: "If the Betfair Hurdle doesn't happen quite soon Al Dancer will have to go straight to Cheltenham. It will mean we've missed a £155,000 opportunity, but that's life.

"I was also hoping Splash Of Ginge would run a good race there and get his rating back up again to give him a better chance of getting in the National."

Colin Tizzard could switch Fox Norton – an intended runner in the Betfair Exchange Chase, formerly the Game Spirit – to Ascot next Saturday, but is waiting to hear whether the Betfair Denman Chase might still be staged before making an alternative plan for Gold Cup winner Native River.

He said: "If the Denman Chase was run within a week or ten days then Native River would probably run, but if it's held over any longer it might be too close to Cheltenham. Fox Norton has the Ascot Betfair Chase as an option, but until we know more it's not really worth thinking about."

Waiting Patiently, another who was in the Betfair Exchange Chase, also has the Ascot option, and Ruth Jefferson has her fingers crossed racing resumes in time as alternatives are few.

The eight-year-old, who unluckily lost his rider when virtually brought down in the King George VI Chase, is a best-priced 2-1 favourite for the Ascot Chase with Coral and Ladbrokes, and clear second favourite in some lists for the Ryanair Chase.

Jefferson, whose late father Malcolm is due to be remembered in a memorial race at Kelso on Thursday, said: "All being well Waiting Patiently will run at Ascot. He was 50-50 for Newbury, there was a chance he'd have gone because he was going to get his ground.

"He's fine and we're just waiting for clearance. If Ascot doesn't go ahead we'll just have to look at options, but there aren't many. It's all out of our hands, and that goes for the Kelso race too, although it would be nice if it went ahead."

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