CHELTENHAM WEIGHING UP FESTIVAL OPTIONS Bosses at Cheltenham were today desperately trying to salvage the National Hunt Festival by staging the fixture next month. The three days beginning on April 24th are the favourite for the rescheduled fixture with the week before that also a possibility. Hopes are a high that an announcement will be made by the weekend over revised plans. But if a suitable slot cannot be found, the Festival is set to be scrapped completely. Cheltenham supremo Edward Gillespie was trying to put on a brave face after the shock news, revealed late last night, that the annual jumping showpiece could not take place next week. The episode was tinged with farce as it emerged that the grazing habits of 23 sheep had prevented one of Britain`s great sporting occasions taking place in its traditional slot. 'It`s so intensely frustrating that this has happened,' said Gillespie. 'I wouldn`t use the word gutted but I would say I`m very disappointed. 'I know there`s so many people look forward to this meeting every year. 'It`s not just the trainers, owners and racegoers who will be suffering but also the hoteliers and restauranteurs in the Cheltenham. 'We had been hopeful but in the end we had to go by the veterinary advice.' Insurers now face an stg#8m payout if the Festival is scrapped this season. Cheltenham`s preferred date for a rescheduled festival - April 24th-26th - clashes with the Punchestown Festival. There is also a three-day meeting in Scotland at Perth that week. 'It could end up being an international match - maybe a tri-nations championship,' joked Gillespie. Consultations have yet to take place with the Irish authorities but officials at Punchestown hope their meeting will still go ahead as planned. 'We are not asking them (the Irish) to cancel Punchestown or give the impression that we`ll go ahead anyway,' insisted Gillespie. Cheltenham is also scheduled for racing on April 18th and 19th and the course could have added April 17 to make a three-day Festival. But this is Easter week and there are difficulties over policing and catering arrangements. There is also a clash with Newmarket`s Craven Meeting. Re-opening of all the Festival races will not take place until a decision is made on the new dates. Gillespie ruled out the possiblity of having the Festival in November and explained: 'That would change the nature of next season if we did that. 'If we can`t run the Festival by the end of April the prospect is that there will be no Festival. In that case we will start afresh and prepare for next year.' The Cheltenham executive have pledged that full refunds will be made to all ticket-holders who cannot or do not want to attend the rescheduled meeting. Peter McNeile, the commercial manager, said: 'Our insurers are facing a bill they`ve never seen before. 'If we weren`t able to stage the Festival at all our claims could be about stg#8m but obviously that figure would come down if we can have it in April.'
