Racing may stop until May

Officials at Cheltenham expect to announce a decision on the date for a rescheduled festival by Monday at the latest.

The three days from April 24th are being increasingly favoured as doubts grow over the Punchestown festival scheduled for that week.

Irish racing authorities are facing up to the possibility of the sport being wiped out until May as the tally of foot and mouth disease cases continues to grow in Britain.

Cheltenham managing director Edward Gillespie said: "I would very much hope to have a decision on or before Monday.

"We are in contact with people in Ireland, at Portman Square and with all those involved in the servicing of the meeting.

"We have a pretty good picture of the dates we would prefer, hence the discussions with Ireland.

"We think it would be best for the Irish and the English."

Irish Turf Club spokesman Michael O'Rourke said: "The people at Punchestown are still confident the meeting will go ahead and that would make it difficult for some of our trainers.

"It's hard to ignore Cheltenham in terms of the prestige it offers.

"But the problem might be taken out of the trainers' hands. There's a possibility that we might not be racing again until May.

"At present the Irish Government is saying there can be no racing until 30 days after the last confirmed outbreak in Britain".