Cheltenham passes muster

Cheltenham have given this afternoon’s meeting the green light – but doubts remain over the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap at 1.20pm.

Clerk of the course Simon Claisse delivered a positive bulletin upon inspection at 8am as the new course, which stages the hurdles and chase races, beat freezing overnight temperatures.

There is only limited covering on the cross-country track, however, which means Claisse and his team will stage a second inspection at 10am.

“Overnight temperatures dipped to minus three degrees but we are racing,” reported Claisse.

“Temperatures have been rising since daybreak but have dropped a bit since then, so we are not really in a position to make a decision (about the cross-country race) just yet.”

This afternoon's meeting will be put back 35 minutes if the cross-country race is abandoned.

The fixture will begin at 12.45pm instead of 12.10pm.

Contingency plans are also in place to run the cross-country event on Saturday’s card at Prestbury Park.