Rainfall takes toll

Conditions will be very arduous if today's Cheltenham card goes ahead. Officials began to doubt if racing could take place as more rain drenched the track for several hours yesterday. But after showers eased, the course was declared still raceable and noinspection was planned for this morning.

Ayr and Lingfield expect racing to take place, but today's two other scheduled meetings, at Doncaster and Uttoxeter, have been abandoned.

Next week's cards are already under threat. Plumpton have called a 10am inspection today to see if Monday's meeting can take place. Parts of the course at Nottingham, due to race on Tuesday, are waterlogged. Windsor on Wednesday also looks in doubt.