A CHELTENHAM Festival race has been abandoned with parts of the track ‘unraceable’ after a deluge of rain.
Today’s big Cross Country Chase, which was due to be run at 4.10pm, has been scrapped altogether following a track inspection.
PAThe Cross Country Chase is the most recognisable race at Cheltenham, for its unique banks and ‘cheese wedge’ jumps[/caption]
Rachael Blackmore had one of the favourites for the race with Gold CupReuters
The hope was to run the race on Friday if conditions had not improved by this morning.
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But The Jockey Club have made the decision to axe the race altogether, with the weather unlikely to get any better.
The knock-on effect of that decision means changes to the times of the first four races, with the opening Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle kicking off 15 minutes later than planned.
A statement read: “Following 11mm of rainfall throughout yesterday, there has been no improvement in the conditions on the Cross-Country course and with areas of the track unraceable, the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase has sadly been abandoned.
“The forecast for the remainder of the week continues to look unsettled, with further showers likely on both Thursday and Friday.
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“There will therefore be insufficient improvement to the Cross-Country course by Friday 15th March, and the decision has been taken not to reschedule the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase at The Festival.
“As a result of the abandonment of the 5th race today, the revised race times for Wednesday 13th March are as follows:
“Race 1: 1345, Race 2: 1430, Race 3: 1515, Race 4: 1600, Race 5: NA, Race 6: 1650, Race 7: 1730.
“The Going on the Old & New course is Soft, Heavy in Places.”
The decision to scrap the race looked somewhat inevitable after footage emerged of punters’ cars stuck in mud before and after the first day’s racing.
The news came on a chaotic start to day two.
Nicky Henderson withdrew a number of his runners including Champion Chase hope Jonbon amid fears over a mystery bug devastating his yard.
Five of his six runners were pulled up on day one and Henderson, 73, said ‘there will be more non-runners’ for Thursday and Friday, with massive concerns over red-hot Triumph Hurdle favourite Sir Gino.
While on Tuesday evening, there was ‘absolute bedlam’ in the boggy car park as thousands of punters had to pull and push their cars out of standing water.
Gordon Elliott’s Delta Work had shot to the head of the Cross Country betting with the ground sodden at Cheltenham.
His defending champion, who was around 2-1, was due to take on former Gold Cup winner Minella Indo.
Rachael Blackmore, who banged in the first winner on day one, had been due to ride Indo, who had long been the ante-post favourite.
Elliott, who loves this race, was also set to saddle second-fav Coko Beach, while Willie Mullins, who looks set to bash bookies all over again, was planning to run Stattler.
The Cross Country Chase is run over a different track to the Old and New courses.
It is in the middle of the traditional courses and features the famous banks and ‘cheese wedge’ jumps.
Past winners of the race include two-time Grand National hero Tiger Roll – who won the Cross Country three times for owner and Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary – and Balthazar King.
Punters smashed the bookies on day one as a host of favourites and short-price runners ran riot.
Lark In The Mornin was the biggest-priced winner on the day at 9-1 in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap.
But even he had been as short as 6-1 in the run-up to the race.
Mullins looks to have some more bankers on day two after State Man and Lossiemouth brought home a double on Tuesday.
His horse Ballyburn – who is co-owned by football superagent David Manasseh – is odds-on to win the first.
While Fact To File is odds-on for the next, the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, and El Fabiolo is 1-3 to claim the Champion Chase.
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