CHELTENHAM DELIGHTED TO STAGE TINGLE CREEK CHASE AS PART OF FANTASTIC EIGHT-RACE CARD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11

CHELTENHAM'S INTERNATIONAL MEETING:

TINGLE CREEK CHASE LOST TODAY AT SANDOWN DUE TO THE WEATHER. WILL BE RUN INSTEAD AT CHELTENHAM  AS PART OF FANTASTIC EIGHT-RACE CARD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11 2010.



CHELTENHAM NEXT MEETING FRIDAY AND SATURDAY DECEMBER 10 AND 11 2010.


Gates Open: 10am both days
First Race: 12.10pm Friday, 11.40am Saturday

Admission prices from £9.
Go to www.cheltenham.co.uk for further information

Following the abandonment of todays card at Sandown Park due to the current adverse weather conditions, the Grade One Keith Prowse Hospitality Tingle Creek Chase will now be staged at Cheltenham on Saturday, December 11, day two of The International, as part of a fantastic eight-race card.

Cheltenham’s Managing Director, Edward Gillespie, said: “The Keith Prowse Hospitality Tingle Creek Chase is the target for the best two-mile chasers in the first half of the season and Cheltenham is delighted to step into the breach and save this important Grade One contest.


“We will now have a fantastic eight-race card on Saturday, December 11, with the best two-mile hurdlers set to line up in the StanJames.com International and one of the most competitive handicap chases of the season, the Vote A P Gold Cup.”

This will be the second time the Tingle Creek Chase has been run at Cheltenham due to the abandonment of Sandown Park. The previous staging was in 2000, when Flagship Uberalles prevailed.


The re-scheduled contest will close for entries at noon on Monday, December 6.


Due to the addition of the Keith Prowse Hospitality Tingle Creek Chase to the December 11 programme, the first race will now take place at 11.40am. The Tingle Creek Chase will be staged at 1.55pm and will be the first of four races transmitted live on Channel 4.

WEATHER UPDATE
Simon Claisse, Cheltenham’s Clerk of the Course and Director of Racing, said: “The current situation is that the course is frozen in places, as it has been for the last 10 days. Over the weekend, a slight thaw is forecast and I hope that this will allow us to put down frost covers on the whole course. Given the forecast, the most likely day for this to happen is Sunday.

“The forecast for next week is for more cold nights. Temperatures are predicted to get down to minus four or minus five degrees Celsius most nights.

“We are doing everything we can at Cheltenham to try and stage The International and will keep everyone updated as appropriate over the next few days.”

For further information, please contact Andy Clifton, Communications Manager at Cheltenham Racecourse, on 07876 330090, or visit the website at http://www.cheltenham.co.uk/