Tuesday, January 2, 2001
GOLD CUP DAY TICKETS SOLD OUT
Tickets for Club and Tattersalls on Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup Day, Thursday, March 15, 2001, have sold out.
Less than 1,000 tickets for Courage Best Enclosure on that day remain available at £15.
Tickets for all three enclosures remain on sale for the other two days of the National Hunt Festival, Tuesday, March 13, and Wednesday, March 14.
Edward Gillespie, Managing Director of Cheltenham, said today, "Ticket sales for all three days are well ahead of the same period last year and we would encourage anyone planning to attend on Tuesday and Wednesday to book shortly."
All three days of the Festival are "all-ticket", with advance booking essential.
The advance booking telephone number at Cheltenham is 01242 226226.
The £290,000 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup and the £200,000 Queen Mother Champion Chase, run on March 14, are the first National Hunt Festival races to close for entries. They close for entries at noon tomorrow, Wednesday, January 3, 2001.
The entries for these two races will be released on Monday, January 8, 2001.
WOLVERHAMPTON OFF TODAY - INSPECTIONS AT LINGFIELD AND MUSSELBURGH TOMORROW
Today's scheduled meeting on the fibresand at Wolverhampton had to be abandoned.
Michael Prosser, Clerk of the Course at the Midlands venue stated: "Following two -13 degree frosts, five inches of snow then two-thirds of an inch of rain on Sunday night and another third last night, certain parts of the course have become patchy and in the interests of safety we feel we have no option but to abandon.
"I feel very sorry for the ground staff who have had no Christmas or New Year as they have been working on the course for 24 hours a day but we cannot take any chances."
Meanwhile, tomorrow's meetings at Lingfield and Musselburgh are subject to precautionary inspections.
JET BIDDING FOR SECOND SUCCESS IN MILDMAY CAZALET
Lancastrian Jet may attempt a repeat victory in the Sun "King of The Punters" Mildmay Cazalet Memorial Chase over 3m 5½f at Sandown on Saturday.
Trainer Henry Daly reported: "At the moment Lancastrian Jet is an intended runner. He is working on Tuesday morning so we'll see after that.
"I hope he runs well, there is no reason why he shouldn't, he likes the track and trip and is a good jumper.
"I have not talked to the owner about who will ride him should he run."
Daly also reported that Relaxation may also head to Sandown for the same race.
"It rather depends on the ground as to whether Relaxation runs or not," stated Daly.
"It is a pity Cheltenham was abandoned on New Year's Day as I wanted to run him in the four-miler there.
"I don't really know about him yet. We will have a decision later on when we know more about the ground."
SHOT HOPING TO RETURN AT SANDOWN
Grey Shot, on the sidelines since winning his sole start over fences at Exeter in October 1999, may reappear at Sandown on Saturday in the Sun Handicap Chase over two miles.
Ian Balding, trainer of the nine-year-old Sharrood gelding reported: "We're hoping to run but won't if the ground is too heavy.
"He's very well, he has schooled a couple of times and is ready to run.
"AP McCoy will ride him if he is available. If not then Barry Keniry who schools him will ride."
FONTWELL HOPE TO SAVE SUSSEX NATIONAL
Fontwell are hoping to save the £20,000 Victor Chandler Sussex National, which had to be abandoned on Saturday due to frost.
There is a meeting scheduled for next Monday at the Sussex course and racecourse executives are hoping to transfer the race to that fixture.
Jonathan Garratt, Fontwell's Chief Executive explained: "There are a number of complications to sort out. We have to talk to the BHB race Planning Department and see if they will allow us to put the race on the card or replace one of the races on the programme. There is a similar event on the card with a 0-115 ratings band, whereas this is a 0-125 race."
NO FIRM PLANS YET FOR ISTABRAQ
There are no firm plans as yet for the next outing of triple Champion Hurdle scorer Istabraq, who suffered the first fall of his career at Leopardstown on Sunday in the AIB Agri-Business December Festival Hurdle.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien has reported the Sadler's Wells gelding none the worse for his tumble but has not decided whether he will return to Leopardstown on January 21.
"There is not a bother on Istabraq. He had and a trot and was fine, which is a big relief." reported O'Brien.
The Master of Ballydoyle went on to add: "We will leave it a few days but if has another run before the Champion Hurdle it will probably be in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle back at Leopardstown."
Meanwhile Charlie Swan, Istabraq's regular partner, has stated that he believes heavy ground may have contributed to Istabraq's first-ever fall.
"I'm sure we wouldn't run him on that sort of ground again.
"We always said one day he could take a chance at one, he once took a chance at Fairyhouse on soft ground.
"He's a brilliant jumper but on soft ground he can just be a little brave and every hurdle yesterday he was standing out.
"It was the first one he met wrong. He stood out, changed his mind in mid-air and just put down."
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