New Year's Day racing at Cheltenham abandoned

Cheltenham's fixture on New Year's Day has been abandoned due to a waterlogged track.

Course officials at Prestbury Park had scheduled a 3pm inspection on Monday afternoon, but saw no reason in delaying the inevitable.

With further rain forecast, the track remains unraceable in places due to saturated ground.

Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse told At The Races: "Sadly we've had to take the decision earlier than we thought to abandon the meeting.

"We've had more rainfall - it's still raining here now - and there's quite a lot more rain forecast between now and 2pm.

"The course is waterlogged in too many places.

"We have been in discussions with the BHA over the last few days to see if the Dipper (Novices' Chase) might find a home somewhere else."

PA