Foot-and-mouth claims Cheltenham

The Cheltenham National Hunt Festival, due to start on Tuesday, was last night postponed for a month.

The outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease across Britain did not help Cheltenham's cause but it was finally called off after the Ministry of Agriculture revised its regulations.

Original terms for the holding of race meetings required that no livestock had been on the racecourse in the previous 14 days. However that was changed to 28 days on Monday, during which time sheep had grazed on the centre of the course which lies in farming country.

Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham's managing director, said last night: 'This is a most unexpected and dreadful blow.'

The momentum for the postponement was started by Irish trainers, who decided to stand firm alongside their Government over a ban on travel to Britain.

The French had decided they could attend. Trainer Francois Doumen had already set off for Cheltenham with his four horses, including Gold Cup favourite First Gold.