Horseracing: French horses set to miss Cheltenham

France's powerful challenge for Cheltenham Festival prizes is set to be scrapped after the country's government announced a ban on the movement of horses.

Louis Romanet, chief of France Galop, admitted that it was now unlikely that any horses would be able to cross the Channel to take part in Britain's showpiece jumps meeting.

The French Government's tough stance on the foot and mouth outbreak is a bitter blow to the organisers of Cheltenham.

Even if the meeting is given the go-ahead next week it will be a much-diluted affair with the French runners likely to join the Irish on the absentee list.