CHELTENHAM WITHIN EXCLUSION ZONE

Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse has revealed that the track is within an exclusion zone set up in response to the foot and mouth disease outbreak.

If the possible case is confirmed it would probably end any hopes that the National Hunt Festival, due to start in 12 days` time, might still take place as scheduled.

However, officials at Prestbury Park are still hopeful that the scare may be a false alarm.

'Something that we`ve always had in the back of our minds that might happen, and will obviously bring fear into the minds of the local farmers and the local community, is that there is a farm within about five miles of here that is under investigation from the ministry,' Claisse said.

'It has had what is called a `class C notice` served on it which means for up to five miles from that farm there is an exclusion zone and we fall within that exclusion zone.

'I ought just to clarify that, by saying that there about 150 farms in the countrythat are under investigation and it will take a day or two before we know whether there is an infection on that farm.

'I`m told though by the ministry experts that there is only a five per cent chance that the farm is infected so we we will be keeping our fingers crossed.'