CHELTENHAM HOPEFUL FOR IRISH

Cheltenham officials are hopeful the postponement of the festival until next month will allow Irish-trained horses to take part.

Although next week`s meeting was called off last night in response to the foot-and-mouth crisis, Irish trainers announced as early as last week their horses would not be attending the meeting.

Cheltenham`s managing director Edward Gillespie told the BBC this morning: 'At the moment we are trying to reorganise the event for the end of April. That is our main objective in the next few days - to get some dates in the diary, to talk to the British Horseracing Board, talk with the Irish, and get dates so we can focus on that.'

'There is a more likelihood certainly that the Irish will be able to come and that is something that we will work with them on.'

The feeling that reorganising the three-day meeting for the end of April could facilitate Irish horses was echoed by Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse.

He said: 'There is obviously apossibility that things may have got better where the Irish stand and the risk of foot and mouth spreading over there, so yes it is a possibility.'