Next week's Cheltenham Festival has been abandoned tonight although there is talk of trying to re-arrange the meet sometime in April. The highlight of racing's calender was called off after a change in a clause of the terms of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods Veterinary Assessment of risk spreading foot and mouth disease for the holding of race meetings. A new revised instruction issued yesterday required that no livestock had been allowed on the racecourse over the past 28 days. As sheep had grazed on the centre of the Cheltenham course during that period, there was nothing to do but call off next week's meet.
Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham's managing director, tonight apologised to owners, trainers and racegoers for the abandonment. "This is a most unexpected and dreadful blow for everyone who has been preparing their horses and planning to visit Cheltenham next week. I know this will be an enormous disappointment to the entire racing community," he said. (PA)
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
