Inspection called

10-30

snap

fingers crossed - but its not ideal underfoot - even with the covers

yep fingers crossed, especially for those travelling.

Officials sounded confident on the radio if that's any solace.

yesterday they said their would be no need for an inspection!!
lose confidence in these people to be honest

Did I hear right that it got to -11 overnight? If it did not sure the covers would have prevented all the frost - they may need temps to rise to be sure, god I hope not

-4 there now... so I assume they cant take the covers off as it will freeze straight away.
I would say it has no chance today... tomorrow isn't much better.

13 race card Thursday, 14 Friday????

They must be struggling if they have announced an inspection (though the conditions are brutal so no ones fault).
9 race cards on Wed / Thurs perhaps with cross country abandoned?

Cheltenham inspect at 10.30amGood morning, not the news most people wanted to wake up to, but with a wind chill of -12C overnight a few parts of the track at Cheltenham are frozen.

Cancel Mares race and Quevega in WH?

extra races for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and with the weather getting warmer, they may well decide to do this, if its a 50/50 decision and call today off. Lets hope not, with all the people with tickets, travelling a long way.

Yeah but some races now to be run on New Course - from an AP point of view would that be a different track?

Bud...was just thinking the same thing "no problem" it was yesterday...I'm going Thu/Fri and lot if effort been made with flights/hotels/tickets... Bit worried about being fed a lot of bollox

Lets just wait and see, it got colder than expected but they are still 95% ok. Not sure whether that means they are 95% certain everywhere will be fine or 95% of the track is ok. Either way, positive thoughts guys and if necessary we should all get there early and spout our own usual brand of hot air to warm the place up

Its not good to tell us all that their is no threat to racing the day before.

Think what we might find here is another inspection to be announced at 1pm after the covers are off with first race put back to 2pm

Feel for yer Bally,lets hope we get the races in the end,even if we lose today.
Way its going you might see some extra races later in the week mate.

On Betfair it is 1.25 (1-4) that racing goes ahead, 2.8 (9-5) that day one of the meeting is called off. (6 mins ago)



FWIW

Got to feel for everyone there. Hope the sun gets out for you

Can anyone translate what Ted Walsh just said on the morning line?

Simon Claisse was certainly more cautious there than the v confident tweet earlier.

Claisse can't muck about with this...the meeting is too big and people travelling from here there everywhere.shouldnt have given it the "no problems" statement yesterday

indeed,bad stuff from Claisse and his colleagues.

Odds on today being off now only 4/6

snowing now

They need that cloud to lift soon as without the sun warming things up there is no chance of a thaw imo.

Mid March, where are these global warming tw ats

odds on betfair, for meeting to be off, is nearly 13/5 on betfair, so someone things it will go ahead today

meeting off, has now drifted to 4/1, which is good, but there again, it might be people just being hopeful, but the betfair market is usually a very reliable guide to what will happen

Positive vibes chaps. If they cover the wider areas which have been badly affected, it'll be grand hopefully.

if this was any other lesser meeting would it be already called off by now?

If it was a lesser meeting they wouldn't have covered the entire track.

If it's the wide parts that are the issue maybe they can configure it so that at least the hurdle races get run today (it is Champion Hurdle day after all) - at least the visitors and bookies will then have something. The Arkle can be moved to Wednesday and the if the Cross Country hasn't thawed by 4.30pm they can abandon that altogether.  The JLT and Novices H'Cap can then either be abandoned or moved to other days.

Wouldn't mind the x-country being abandoned to be honest, its a race with nil chance of getting re-scheduled probably so would get me Balthazar King bet voided and refunded

Above freezing at the track now, Claisse sounds more optimistic

1.03 to be on

Sun out here now. Was feeling pretty worried a few hours ago but will be amazed if its not on now.

On...first race 2-05 talksport

2.05 start, yes, good news and instead of playing ball with channel 4, the racing should always start at 2.00, every day, we don't need 1.30 starts.

PHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone else think they will get rid of the X Country race today and thats the reason for the late start?

Forget that... just seen its the last race at 5.45 now.

BREAKING: Cheltenham Festival day one to start 35 mins late 1405 #CheltFest Cross-Country Chase inspection at 1415. If goes ahead, 1745

How does this affect the placepot

trevor the placepot is still the same as it was .

x country is the 5th race of placepot

worth having a good go at it as there will be confusion and people will be doing it without the x country.

It'll end up being a five-leg Placepot. Can't see them running the X-Country.