Cheltenham hopes rise

Racing: The chances of next week's Cheltenham Festival going ahead were given a considerable boost yesterday when the British Horseracing Board and Jockey Club announced that racing would resume at Lingfield tomorrow.

BHB chairman Peter Savill said: "We have listened to all racing's constituents very carefully, and while respecting the concerns about the farming industry, the weight of the combined scientific advice from Government and our own veterinary officials, as well as the damage the loss of racing for an indefinite period would do to those employed in our industry, lead us to believe that resuming racing is the right decision."

However, the day also brought bad news for the Cheltenham executive with the announcement that France's powerful challenge is set to be scrapped after the country's government announced a ban on the movement of horses.

The absence of the French would be especially damaging as they are responsible for three of the ante-post favourites - First Gold in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Jair du Cochet in the Triumph Hurdle and Baracouda in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle.

Louis Romanet, chief of France Galop, admitted that it was now unlikely that any horses would be able to travel to the meeting.

Romanet said: "Our government is being even stricter than they are in Britain and it is unlikely that our horses will be able to travel to Cheltenham.

"They have brought in a ban of transporting horses in vans for two weeks. It means we can only have racing where horses are stabled at the track.

"It's a great shame for our trainers but we are going to hold further talks with our agriculture ministry tonight and tomorrow to see if we can agree a code of practice to allow the movement of horses."

Today's race meeting at Maisons-Laffitte has already been cancelled but the evening fixture at Cagnes-sur-Mer will be staged as all the runners there are stabled at the track.

Francois Doumen will be especially hard hit by the ban as he is responsible for First Gold and Baracouda as well as Triumph Hurdle challenger Bilboa.

William Hill, Ladbrokes and Coral have announced they are to refund ante-post bets on the Cheltenham Festival.

All three decided to scrap normal ante-post rules because of the expected absence of Irish and French-trained horses.

"William Hill will refund stakes to punters who have placed antepost bets on horses withdrawn from races at the Cheltenham Festival at the five-day declaration stage, irrespective of the reason," said their spokesman, Graham Sharpe.

"All bets on horses who do declare at the five-day stage stand - run or not - if the meeting goes ahead as planned.

"Refunding bets on non-runners at the five-day stage, whilst still honouring the others without making any compensatory deductions will cost us up to half a million pounds."