Resited fence gets thumbs-up despite fallers

Four fallers at Cheltenham’s newly resited penultimate fence was not the plan for the track's opening meeting of the season, but jockeys have told clerk of the course Simon Claisse it was still the right thing to do.

An increase in the number of fallers at the fence last season prompted the change, which was supported by the Professional Jockeys Association and BHA. The obstacle on the Old course was moved eight metres nearer the last fence to give riders and horses longer to adjust as they swung left-handed out of the final bend.

But two horses fell at the fence after negotiating the bend, while two more went down as they approached the obstacle as they headed straight towards it on the first circuit.