Cheltenham, Friday 11 November – Provisional Race Programmed

04 Nov 2016

  • Cross Country Course currently Hard, Firm in places
  • Provisional Veterans’ Handicap Steeple Chase added
  • Entries to close at noon tomorrow, Saturday 5 November

Following the continued spell of dry weather, the going on the Cross Country Course at Cheltenham is currently described as Hard; Firm in places. The Cheltenham Executive in conjunction with the British Horseracing Authority’s Inspectorate will continue to monitor the situation and a decision on whether to proceed with the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase will be taken next week.

In the meantime, the BHA Racing Department has programmed a provisional Veterans’ Handicap Steeple Chase which will be activated in the event of the abandonment of the Cross Country race.

The provisional race will be a Class 2 Veterans’ Handicap Steeple Chase, for ten years old and upwards rated 0-150 to be over a distance of 2m 4 1/2f. The race will also be made a qualifier for the Veterans’ Handicap Steeple Chase Final at Sandown Park on Saturday, 7 January.

The new, provisional race will close at noon on Saturday, 5 November. In the event that the provisional race is activated in due course, declarations to run must be made by 10am on Thursday, 10 November. The Clerk Of The Course at Cheltenham will make a decision on whether to activate the provisional race no later than 1pm on 9 November.

Cheltenham Clerk Of The Course Simon Claisse reported: “We have experienced the driest three month build up to The Open since 2003 and have applied up to 350mm of irrigation on the chase and hurdle courses to maintain good ground. Although we have watered the cross country course we are not in a position to significantly improve the current conditions without substantial rainfall, which is not currently forecast.

“Should we be unable to run the cross country race next week we will work with the BHA on the options for rescheduling the November event later in the season.”

Full race conditions for the provisional races are available on the BHA’s Racing Admin website, www.racingadmin.co.uk, under “Fixtures and Races”.
For further information please contact the BHA Racing Department on
0207 152 0050 or [email protected]
or
Simon Claisse, Cheltenham Clerk Of The Course on 07785 293966