LAST UPDATE | 13 Mar
TODAY’S GLENFARCLAS CROSS Country Chase at Cheltenham has been cancelled due to heavy rainfall. The schedule for the day at the festival has been changed as a result.
Following 11mm of rainfall throughout yesterday, there has been no improvement in the conditions on the Cross-Country course and areas of the track remain unraceable.
The forecast for the remainder of the week continues to look unsettled, with further showers likely on both Thursday and Friday.
UPDATE ON TODAY'S GLENFARCLAS CROSS-COUNTRY STEEPLE CHASE pic.twitter.com/nD139Wfsso
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 13, 2024
There will therefore be insufficient improvement to the Cross-Country course and the decision has been taken not to reschedule the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase at this year’s Festival.
Due to the abandonment, the revised race times for today are as follows:
- 1.45pm – Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
- 2.30pm – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
- 3.15pm – Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
- 4pm – Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1)
- 4.50pm – Grand Annual Challenge Cup
- 5.30pm – Champion Bumper (Grade 1)
The going on the regulation Old and New courses is described as soft, heavy in places.
As a result of the abandonment of the 5th race today, the revised race times for Wednesday 13th March are as follows:
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 13, 2024
Race 1: 13.45
Race 2: 14.30
Race 3: 15.15
Race 4: 16.00
Race 5: NA
Race 6: 16.50
Race 7: 17.30
Meanwhile, Nicky Henderson has has reacted to his overall poor results on the opening day of this year’s Cheltenham Festival by withdrawing several runners on day two, including Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase hope Jonbon.
Shishkin has not also been declared for Friday’s Boodles Gold Cup at Cheltenham following an unsatisfactory scope.
Statement from Nicky Henderson pic.twitter.com/CuOMSFzCPN
— Nicky Henderson (@sevenbarrows) March 13, 2024
Henderson went into this year’s Festival under a cloud following the withdrawal of Champion Hurdle title holder Constitution Hill and a disappointing run of form from his stable as a whole.
Luccia provided the Seven Barrows handler with a boost when finishing third behind State Man in the Champion Hurdle, but his other five runners on Tuesday were all pulled up.
Henderson posted on X: “I’m afraid we have had to make some very tough decisions following the very disappointing performances of all bar one of our horses yesterday.
“It was there for all to see that there is obviously something affecting nearly all our horses and consequently we have reluctantly decided that Jonbon, First Street and Kingston Pride will not run today.
“It is impossible to identify any reason for all the disappointments and none of these horses have given us any cause for concern and all yesterday’s runners were scoped clean post race and I am glad to say all are sound this morning.
“There will unfortunately be further non-runners on Thursday and Friday.
“I hope everybody will appreciate that we have to do this in everybody’s interests, particularly the horses. It is very, very disappointing for everybody.”
Commenting on the decision to withdraw Shishkin, he added:
“Very sadly it will not be possible for Shishkin to run in the Gold Cup on Friday. He was scoped as have all our potential runners this week, but unfortunately he has shown an unsatisfactory picture on which he couldn’t possibly run.
“He appears to be 100 per cent in himself and has been working and schooling better than ever and we were really looking forward to Friday, it is hoped that along with all the other non-participants this week that they will be back in time for Aintree or Punchestown.
“Regrettably Champ has also succumbed and will not run in tomorrow’s Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and the equivalent race at Aintree could be on the agenda.”
Shishkin was the only horse from the five-day stage not declared, meaning Galopin Des Champs will face 11 rivals in his bid to land back-to-back Gold Cups and emulate a former stablemate in Al Boum Photo.
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