Cheltenham inspectors upbeat ahead of Saturday meet

Cheltenham officials do not anticipate any significant weather problems ahead of their informative meeting on Saturday.

The Letheby And Christopher Chase and the Cleeve Hurdle take top billing at Prestbury Park, which is not likely to be another casualty of the incessant wet spell.

Clerk of the course Simon Claisse said: "The outlook is settled with 10 to 15 millimetres of rain expected up to Friday.

"The forecast suggests that Friday and Saturday will be dry days."

Doncaster's hierarchy are also optimistic their Skybet Chase meeting on Saturday will be given the go-ahead.

Clerk of the course and estates manager David Williams said: "All of the significant rain was forecast for today and the forecast for the rest of the week is better.

"We should be fine for Friday and Saturday."

The same cannot be said for Tuesday's fixtures, however, as Southwell's all-weather meeting is the sole card to have beaten Mother Nature.

Leicester's meeting was abandoned on Sunday before Sedgefield had to draw stumps this morning.

Officials called an 11am check following a deluge of overnight rain.

And after inspecting the track, clerk of the course Charlie Moore was left with no option but to abandon.

He said: "We've had nearly 20 millimetres of rain this morning and we could end up getting 35 (millimetres).

"It might be dry tomorrow but that would be too late to save us."

Wednesday's re-scheduled meeting at Fairyhouse has also been abandoned as the course is still waterlogged.

"They've inspected the track this morning and found it to be waterlogged," said the Irish Turf Club's Cliff Noone.

"They've had 25 millimetres of rain over the weekend, so it's actually deteriorated rather than got better.

"There's a bad weather forecast and it would take a good dry week for it to clear up."

The fixture, which was switched from Sunday, was set to feature the return of Kicking King.

The 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was pencilled in for the Normans Grove Chase, which will now be staged at Gowran on Thursday, weather permitting.

Officials are "optimistic" the meeting, also featuring the Ellen Construction Thyestes Handicap Chase, will go ahead.

Although the going is described as heavy, the course is raceable and the weather forecast gives the executive plenty of encouragement.

"I'd be optimistic that we can go ahead," said clerk of the course Paddy Graffin.

"Obviously it is not surprising the way things are going that the going is heavy, but there's no water lying anywhere.

"It is going to be extremely testing but the weather forecast is reasonable over the next couple of days.

"If the weather forecast is accurate I'd be optimistic.

"It wouldn't be pretty, but it's perfectly OK.

"We had 10 millimetres of rain on Sunday and we are still fit to race."