Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse expects the ground to dry out slightly ahead of the start of the four-day Festival on Tuesday.

Gary Moore has raised the possibility of Sire De Grugy wearing a pair of blinkers as he attempts to regain his Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase crown next week.

Prize money at the Cheltenham Festival in March will exceed £4m for the first time.

Connections of Coneygree are leaning towards running him in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday rather than in the RSA Chase tomorrow.

It’s here! And I’m losing already.

Connections of Coneygree are leaning towards running him in the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday rather than in the RSA Chase tomorrow.

Ruby Walsh has promised that his head will rule his heart when it comes to making a decision on whether to ride Hurricane Fly or Faugheen in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham next Tuesday.

Richie McLernon has guided Holywell to Cheltenham Festival glory for the last two seasons and trainer Jonjo O’Neill is banking on the combination coming good once more in the Gold Cup.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies stable is keen to get on with the work of preparing The New One for the Stan James Champion Hurdle and put aside his unimpressive victory at Haydock on Saturday.

One of the biggest events in the horse racing calendar gets under way today as thousands of punters descend on Cheltenham for Gold Cup week.

Last Instalmen headed to England yesterday as trainer Philip Fenton delayed a decision on his participation in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup until the middle of the week.

Cheltenham’s clerk of the course Simon Claisse is on guard against further rain with the track shaping up nicely ahead of the Festival in just under two weeks.

It really was the proverbial white-knuckle ride. Monday, at around 4.45pm, we landed at Birmingham Airport to be greeted by snow cascading from a grim sky. More of the white stuff accompanied us as we made our way up to Cheltenham.

This afternoon’s meeting at the Cheltenham Festival has survived an early-morning inspection and goes ahead as scheduled.

The second day of the Cheltenham Festival will go ahead as planned after the track was declared fit to race.

Luck went with the Irish on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival as even the weather could not spoil the racing.

This afternoon’s opening day of the Cheltenham Festival is set to go ahead as planned, although the start will be delayed by 35 minutes.

Cheltenham will have to pass a 10.30am inspection if the opening day of the Festival meeting is to go ahead.

Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse is satisfied the Festival can go ahead without a hitch, despite a freezing cold Monday in the Cotswolds.

All frost covers were in place at Cheltenham by 2pm yesterday ahead of the four-day Festival.

Jonjo O’Neill has raised the possibility of Sunnyhillboy running in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Cheltenham has passed an initial 8am inspection this morning, but a further precautionary check at 7am tomorrow has been called.

Cheltenham has called an 8am inspection for Friday ahead of Saturday's big Trials Day meeting at the track.

The weather continuing to wreak havoc with turf racing in Britain but the outlook is somewhat brighter in Ireland.

The cold winter has already hit horse racing in the UK and threatens more in the coming days.

Cheltenham’s fixture on New Year’s Day has been abandoned due to a waterlogged track.

Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase at Cheltenham goes ahead as planned after the track passed a third inspection.

Cheltenham will stage an 8am inspection of the Cross Country course on Friday.

Robbie Power was over 15 lengths behind Finian’s Rainbow and Sizing Europe by the time they breasted the line in yesterda’s Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Three horses suffered fatal injuries on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

1. The Tuesday bankers

CHARLES BYRNES believes this weekend’s StanJames.com International at Cheltenham is a realistic target for his intended runner Pittoni.

Ferdy Murphy will send De Boitron and Riguez Dancer on the long journey down from North Yorkshire to Cheltenham for Wednesday and Thursday’s meetings.

Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse reports the ground to be on the good side as the track gears up for day one of the Festival.

NOEL Meade will keep an eye on the ground before committing Pandorama to a run in Friday’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Noel Meade will keep an eye on the ground before committing Pandorama to a run in Friday’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Ground preparations for Cheltenham are almost complete ahead of the four-day Festival that starts on Tuesday.

Simon Claisse is prepared to water the track at Cheltenham during the meeting due to the lack of recent rain.

NICKY HENDERSON has effectively ruled Punchestowns out of the Cheltenham Festival and is considering giving the chestnut a run at the racecourse which has lent him his name.

This afternoon's meeting at Cheltenham must pass a second inspection at 10.45am.

Frost is posing a threat to Cheltenham’s Festival Trials Day with officials feeling it best to call a precautionary inspection at 8.45am tomorrow.