Deep Purple could skip Cheltenham

Evan Williams could bypass Cheltenham and head straight to Aintree with top chaser Deep Purple, who won the Charlie Hall and Peterborough Chases before breaking a blood vessel when pulled up in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day.

The gelding is as short as 10-1 with Boylesports for the Ryanair Chase at the Festival but Williams admitted: "I've never been a fan of Cheltenham for this horse and we might wait for Aintree.

"However, the way the Ryanair is shaping up, you never know. He'll probably have an entry in it and I won't rule him in or out just yet."

The cold snap means prospects for jump racing remain bleak. Southwell's all-weather fixture was the only meeting to survive today and they hope to keep the show on the road tomorrow, as Wolverhampton bids to shift four inches of snow.

The all-weather fixtures at Kempton and Lingfield both fell today because of a lack of ambulance cover. Saturday's prestigious Welsh Champion Hurdle meeting has also been called off as temperatures dipped to -9C at Ffos Las last night.