Disruption to the fixture list looks set to continue into the weekend after Wetherby’s meeting on Friday became the latest to fall due to a waterlogged track.

With no sign of the current wet spell coming to an end, Southwell flew the flag for jumps racing in Britain on Thursday, with meetings at Warwick and at Clonmel in Ireland both called off.

Officials at Wetherby called an inspection for 3pm on Thursday ahead of Friday’s card and made the decision to draw stumps shortly after.

A statement on the track’s website read: “There has been insufficient improvement during the last 24 hours and the ground remains waterlogged, with false ground in several areas. A further 12-15 millimetres of rain is expected overnight Thursday into Friday morning.”

Fontwell’s Friday fixture is also under threat, with a precautionary check called for 7.30am, while Saturday’s Premier Raceday at Kelso is already in doubt.

The Borders track is due to host a high-profile card, part of which is set to be shown live on ITV, but the ground is described as heavy, waterlogged in places and an inspection will take place at 8am on Friday to assess the latest state of play.

Chelmsford’s meeting scheduled for Saturday evening has been moved to an earlier start, from 5.25pm to 2.50pm.

A statement from the British Horseracing Authority read: “In light of the current forecast for Saturday April 6, the BHA has agreed to move Chelmsford City’s fixture to a 2.50 start and rearranged the running order.

“This is in order to ensure an appropriate level of racing content for our customers on Saturday afternoon and offer potential ITV coverage to the Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes at 3.30 should other fixtures on Saturday be abandoned.”

Colonel Harry took full advantage of Trelawne’s wayward tendencies to continue a golden season for his jockey Gavin Sheehan in the William Hill Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby.

Sheehan has already won the Coral Gold Cup on Datsalrightgino, representing the same connections, the December Gold Cup on Fugitif and the dramatic King George on Hewick.

Jamie Snowden’s Colonel Harry had finished second to Le Patron in a Grade One over two miles at Sandown last time out and was racing over two and a half miles on this occasion.

This Grade Two had been previously run over three miles and while only four went to post over the new distance, all had claims.

Kim Bailey’s Trelawne attempted to make all but he continually lost ground by hanging markedly to his right and at one point was seemingly intent on heading to the car park on the home bend.

The fact he only went down by a length and three-quarters to the 5-4 favourite spoke volumes, with the winner having to fend off Trelawne’s renewed challenge on the run to the line.

“He’s done it well but Trelawne probably made it a bit easier for us,” said Sheehan.

“Our lad jumps great, he has the right attitude and he didn’t mind stepping up in trip there.

“It’s been brilliant of late, there’s no hiding that fact – I’ve had some great success and long may it continue.”

Hew Glyn Davies, of owners the GD Partnership, said: “I was delighted with that. Obviously it was a small field and the second horse is very good, we were worried about him.

“He travelled great but Gavin said he was ready for him when he opened out on the back straight and he didn’t really have to get into him.

“I think at Sandown he pecked at the first fence and lost his position, he was behind the ball the whole of the way. He got going late and, frankly, if it had been another few yards he’d have got there.

“The longer trip really helped, we’d been debating it, or Jamie had, for a while.

“I think the Scilly Isles (at Sandown) will be a possibility but Cheltenham is a question mark.

“We’ve had a great year so far with Datsalrightgino winning the Coral Gold Cup too.”

Kim Bailey lamented not fitting the runner-up Trelawne with cheekpieces.

“We tossed and turned as to whether to put cheekpieces on today, we gave him the benefit of the doubt but I wish we had,” he said.

“He did the same in his second novice hurdle at Exeter and he’s always been quirky, but he’s got a serious amount of ability.

“He’s a very talented individual, to go so close having run off the racecourse. He’s a winner without a penalty but he hasn’t picked up the prize money either! It’s a very frustrating situation.”

Officials at Wetherby have been left with no option but to abandon the second day of the track’s William Hill Yorkshire Christmas Meeting due to a waterlogged track.

The West Yorkshire circuit played host to its traditional Boxing Day fixture on Tuesday, with the Venetia Williams-trained Fontaine Collonges taking the featured Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase.

Another seven-race card was due to take place on Wednesday, with the William Hill Castleford Chase the main event, but significant rainfall overnight has left standing water on parts of the track and clerk of the course Jonjo Sanderson has been forced to draw stumps.

He said: “The forecasters said we’d get 20 millimetres (of rain) in a 12 to 15 hour period from around 3am to 3pm or 4pm this afternoon, but when I got here just after 6am we’d had nine millimetres and that’s already doubled in the next three hours.

“It’s just the volume of rain we’ve had in that timeframe really and we’ve got another 10 millimetres still to come according to the forecast.

“There isn’t a fence down the back straight we could jump due to the ground being saturated and areas of false ground.”

Leicester’s meeting on Thursday is also under threat, with a precautionary inspection announced for 3.45pm this afternoon due to a “forecast of continuous rain on Wednesday”.

The chase races at Uttoxeter on New Year’s Eve have already been called off, meaning the Staffordshire venue will now stage an all hurdle and bumper card.

Dan Skelton has the Finale Juvenile Hurdle in mind for Kourosh after he strolled to victory on his British debut at Wetherby.

The well-backed 8-11 favourite was on winner on the Flat in Germany and in truth had little to beat in the wetherbyracing.co.uk Juvenile Maiden Hurdle.

Harry Skelton sent him into an early lead and he must have almost been a distance clear at one point in the straight, before being heavily eased to win by 21 lengths.

The Finale at Chepstow on December 27 has been downgraded to a Grade Two for this season.

Skelton said: “He’s a nice horse, from the first time we showed him a hurdle he’s wanted to jump which is a great attitude to have for a juvenile.

“He stayed a mile and six in Germany so the trip was never going to be an issue and he handles very soft ground. I think he can take pretty high standing.

“There are a few races worth a few quid in mind and with the laid-back attitude he has I’d have no problem going to Chepstow with him for the Finale. I know there’ll be some fancier horses going but they’ll need to show their liking for the ground whereas we’ve got that in our pocket already.”

He added: “I’ve got some nice juveniles, I run one next week called Le Fauve that came from France who is quite useful.”

Sam Drinkwater’s Gallic Geordie (5-1) won the feature Peter Beaumont Handicap Chase under Ned Fox.

“He pricks his ears when he’s in front but he has plenty of ability,” said Fox.

“He ran well first time out and everything fell in his favour today.”

Sue Smith’s Cerendipity (11-4) was thought highly enough of to run in the EBF Final at Sandown last season and got off the mark over fences at the second time of asking.

A fair third at Sedgefield first time out, he beat two useful types in Ukantango and Missed Tee and the six-year-old can only keep on improving.

Daryl Jacob was in saddle due to his association with owner Aafke Clarke, who has had the classy Midnight Shadow, the 2021 Paddy Power Gold Cup winner run in her colours.

Jacob said: “He’s getting there. He had a problem with his wind with that has been sorted.

“Sue picked out this race, it looked the right one to go for and he’s rewarded them.

“He’s a typical one of Sue and Harvey (Smith), he’ll keep on improving.”

The excellent Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero bagged another winner when No But I Will (7-2) held off Skelton’s Snipe in the Visit racingtv.com Handicap Chase.

Henry Brooke, who has struck up a good relationship with the yard, said: “His jumping is a big asset, but I didn’t give him the best of rides there. I got involved far too soon, but I was just anxious the one in front was getting a freebie.

“He’s a funny little horse to ride as he never really takes you anywhere, but he’s got a decent little engine on him when you rev him up.”

The Skeltons also had to settle for second with The Village Way in the Watch Race Replay At Racing TV Novices’ Hurdle as Toonagh Warrior (5-2) gained a first victory at the eighth attempt.

Now with Stuart Edmunds, he had previously been trained in Ireland by Philip Fenton.

Audacious Annie (11-8 favourite) won the closing mares’ bumper in fine style for Jamie Snowden and Gavin Sheehan.

The winner is a half-sister the classy stablemate You Wear It Well.

“She’s a really lovely mare, her owner, Semore Kurdi, sent her to me as we’d done such a good job with her sister and if she’s half as good we’ll be happy,” said Snowden.

“We’ll see how she comes out of this, but it would be lovely to think we could go for some black type.”

Dashel Drasher could make his next start over fences after a hurdling comeback at Wetherby.

The popular 10-year-old has switched between the two divisions throughout the last few seasons and has enjoyed plenty of success over both types of obstacles.

He was second to Grand National winner Noble Yeats in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree last December and was then runner-up in a trio of high-quality Cheltenham hurdles, culminating in the Grade One Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival, where he was beaten only three-quarters of a length by Sire Du Berlais.

Jeremy Scott’s charge started the new season at Wetherby this month, contesting the Grade Two bet365 Hurdle and starting as the 7-4 joint-favourite under Rex Dingle.

He led for much of the way and showed plenty of vim, only fading approaching the last and eventually finishing third behind Botox Has and Red Risk.

A switch to chasing could be next on the agenda, with the 1965 Chase at Ascot under consideration if the gelding is ready to go again at the end of the month.

“He’s really well, he probably just got a bit stuck in the mud the other day, maybe it’s just age catching up with him as well,” Scott said of the Wetherby run.

“He’s certainly come out of the race really well and there is a chase at Ascot in a few weeks’ time which is a possibility, but it is quite difficult finding races for him.

“I was very much thinking we’d play it by ear, I’d like to run him back over fences because I think he was just as effective over them.

“It would be nice to find a Grade Two that we could run him in but they’ve taken a lot of them away, last year we ran in the Many Clouds but they’ve taken that away, so it’s difficult to find him somewhere to go unless you run in a handicap.

“He’s never lacking for will, he’s always just a bit stuffy on his first run but I’m very happy with the way he’s come out of the race and we’re just hunting around for the next plan.

“We’ll see how he is when we start doing some proper work – and if we can go to Ascot, that would be great.”

Gary Moore is keen for a crack at the Ladbrokes Long Walk Hurdle with Botox Has after his winning return at Wetherby.

The game seven-year-old had been off the track since finishing fourth in Cheltenham’s Cleeve Hurdle in January and pulled out arguably a career-best performance to deny Red Risk by a length in the West Yorkshire Hurdle.

That was the second time he has struck at Grade Two level and his handler was thrilled to see him return from 280 days off in such brilliant form.

“It was good to see him back on form, he’s a big-hearted horse who tries really hard,” said Moore.

“It worried me when he made a mistake two out, but he stuck to his guns and won quite well in the end.”

Botox Has holds an entry for the Betfair Exchange Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at Haydock later this month – a race he won 12 months ago.

However, Moore is keen to stick to the graded route in a division without a standout performer and is eyeing up a first run in Grade One company at Ascot on December 23.

“I hope to train him for the Long Walk Hurdle now, that’s what I hope the plan will be,” he added.

“Whether he won the other day because he was fitter than the rest of them and because he had been trained for that race, I don’t know? He always does run well fresh, but I hope he can improve on that.

“It’s probably not quite the strongest division there is.”

Gentlemansgame came of age by beating Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

Having just his third run over fences, the Mouse Morris-trained seven-year-old was nibbled at in the market into 7-2 and he became the first Irish-based winner since Francis Crowley’s Sackville in 2001.

Gentlemansgame won a beginners chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival but was not seen again until being beaten into second by Easy Game at Gowran in September.

Always highly thought of by Morris, who finished second in the corresponding race in 1998 with Boss Doyle behind Strath Royal, he was the trainer’s first winner in the UK since he landed the Grand National with Rule The World in 2016.

Ahoy Senor set out to make all but by halfway his jumping had once again slowed him down and last year’s winner Bravemansgame took it up.

It stayed that way until Darragh O’Keeffe brought the grey up to challenge, but at the second last the favourite had seemingly seen him off.

However, Bravemansgame jumped out of Harry Cobden’s hands at the final fence, landing on top of it and halting his momentum, allowing the Irish raider to gain the upper hand and win by a length and three-quarters.

Morris said: “I’m very happy with that, he jumped super. He was a bit fiddly at one or two, but that was to be expected on his third run over fences.

“He was taking on a seasoned, Gold Cup horse (Bravemansgame). We came here because I was limited as to where I could go. The owners (Robcour) had their other horse going to Down Royal (Gerri Colombe) and it would be stupid to take each other on.

“It’s a long way to the Gold Cup. I suppose Leopardstown at Christmas would be the obvious place to go, but we’ll see how he comes out of it.

“He’ll stay all day and we’re living the dream.”

On his Wetherby win, Morris added: “It’s a nice race and a super track with lovely people, so why not come over?”

Botox Has provided Caoilin Quinn with the most notable success of his riding career so far with victory in a gruelling renewal of the bet365 West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby.

The conditional jockey won a valuable handicap hurdle on the Betfair Chase undercard at Haydock last season aboard Gary Moore’s seven-year-old, who is also a former winner of the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell under the trainer’s son, Josh.

Botox Has had not been seen in competitive action since finishing fourth in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham in January – and while Quinn was unable to use his claim in this Grade Two contest, he proved more than up to the job.

Much of the pre-race focus was on the Philip Hobbs-trained Thyme Hill and Jeremy Scott’s stable star Dashel Drasher, two high-class performers on the staying hurdling scene.

Dashel Drasher adopted his customary role at the front, but it was hard work from some way out, while the other 7-4 joint-favourite Thyme Hill was unable to land a telling blow in the testing conditions.

Botox Has (15-2) himself was off the bridle early in the straight but kept pulling out more and recovered from an untidy leap at the final obstacle to get the better of Red Risk by a length, with Dashel Drasher narrowly beating Thyme Hill to third place.

Quinn said: “It’s unbelievable, I’m speechless, to be honest, what a performance that was. He was giving weight away to a lot of them, but one thing he has on his side is he’s very tough.

“When push comes to shove, he digs deep. I didn’t think he enjoyed the ground today, we thought he would, as he does like it soft, but for whatever reason he didn’t travel as well as he did when I rode him at Haydock.

“It’s very tiring ground and I just thought it was the best thing to go and let him pop the last, but I knew he had loads left.

“It’s an unbelievable training performance. I’ve said to loads of people, he (Gary Moore) is an absolute genius.

“He’s had his problems this horse, he had a niggling problem which meant he didn’t go to the Cheltenham Festival last season. He (Moore) has got him back as good as ever and I’m very grateful.”

Derek Fox is relishing the prospect of reuniting with Ahoy Senor in the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

Lucinda Russell’s star chaser was bitterly disappointing and finished last when sent off the 11-10 favourite for the Grade Two event last season but would go on to prove any doubters wrong in the second half of the campaign.

Having won the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January, he was putting up a bold show when a faller six out in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and showed no ill effects when quickly backing that performance up to finish a fine second to Shishkin in the Bowl at Aintree.

Lying in wait once again for Ahoy Senor is a familiar face in defending champion Bravemansgame and Fox is thrilled to be able to take the ride having successfully appealed a 10-day ban picked up at the track last month, which would have left him sat on the sidelines on Saturday afternoon.

He said: “I’m delighted I’m able to ride him, it’s all systems go and we’re looking forward to getting him out again.

“I’ve rode him out and we’re all happy with him – he’s in good form and all seems well.

“He might have needed it (the run) a bit last year. I actually don’t think he ran that badly, he was just a bit free and got a bit tired.”

The Charlie Hall is set to be run in testing conditions with Wetherby abandoning racing at the track on Friday.

However, Fox is happy his mount will be OK on the ground despite it not being connections’ preferred going for his West Yorkshire return.

He added: “He’s handled heavy ground before. Probably for the first day out for the season, ideally you wouldn’t have it so heavy, but it’s the same for them all and he handles any ground.

“We’re going there hopeful that he’s in good order at home and hoping he’ll do well.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Russell’s partner and assistant Peter Scudamore, who said: “We’ve obviously discussed it and Derek doesn’t see it as an issue.

“It was very tacky and dead ground the day he won at Cheltenham. He’s a free-going sort, but I don’t see it being too big an issue.”

Scudamore is no stranger to top-class staying chasers and the former champion jockey is looking forward to seeing Ahoy Senor kick off his new campaign.

“You are always nervous when you run a horse like that,” said Scudamore.

“We really fancied him last year (in the race) and it all went wrong, but he picked himself up from that and was able to run some really nice races.

“To be fair to the horse, he had a bad start to last season but then he ran some fabulous races, the two Cheltenham runs and Aintree, so we just need to have him back to that level.

“I’m a little bit more relaxed than I was and I just hope he jumps sensibly and then we can look at the Coral Gold Cup for him.

“This isn’t the be-all and end-all of the season, but we’re looking forward to it.”

Following victory in this race 12 months ago, Bravemansgame would go on to add the King George VI Chase at Christmas before brave efforts in defeat at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals in the spring.

Trainer Paul Nicholls was originally keen to point his Gold Cup runner-up towards Haydock’s Betfair Chase, but concerned about bottomless ground on Merseyside later this month, has elected for Bravemansgame to defend his Charlie Hall crown before returning to Kempton on Boxing Day.

Nicholls told Betfair: “He enjoyed an amazing time last season and I couldn’t be happier with him as he bids to win the Charlie Hall for the second year running.

“I was leaning towards taking him to Haydock in three weeks’ time for his seasonal debut in the Betfair Chase but changed my mind after all the rain we’ve had. The way things are at the moment conditions could be bottomless at Haydock by the end of the month which would be far from ideal for Bravemansgame over almost three and a quarter miles first time out.

“It makes sense to go for the Charlie Hall with only three opponents declared against him. He won this race easily a year ago and the race comes at the right time for him ahead of the King George VI Chase at Kempton.”

Dan Skelton’s Midnight River successfully stepped up in trip when winning a big handicap at Aintree on Grand National Day and will ply his trade once again over a staying distance, while Mouse Morris will saddle the sole Irish challenger Gentlemansgame.

Morris has enjoyed success at Wetherby in the past, with the Tony McCoy-ridden Boss Doyle finishing second to Strath Royal in the 1998 Charlie Hall before going on to win back-to-back runnings of the West Yorkshire Hurdle in 2000 and 2001. He also filled the runner-up spot in the same race when bidding for the hat-trick in 2002.

Morris will now bid to enhance that record with the strapping seven-year-old who makes just his third appearance over fences.

“He’s travelled over and he’s in good shape so hopefully it’s on now, that’s the main thing,” said the Irishman.

“He ran well in Gowran and we just need to get a bit of experience into him. He’s being thrown in at the deep end on Saturday, but as long as he gives a good account of himself I’ll be happy.

“I don’t think the ground or the trip will be a problem, but you can’t beat experience in life.”

The National Hunt programme continues to be affected by the weather, with the Friday meeting at Wetherby the latest to be abandoned.

Rain during the week led to river levels rising markedly, leading to pressure on the track’s drainage system and leaving standing water in places.

An update on the course’s website read: “Following the inspection of the racecourse at 7am, racing on Friday 3rd November has been abandoned due to standing water remaining on the track. Despite the river levels dropping there has been insufficient improvement in conditions in order to be able to race today.”

Wetherby is due to host the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase on Saturday, featuring last year’s winner Bravemansgame and Ahoy Senor.

The statement continued: “In so far as the prospects for Saturday’s bet365 Charlie Hall meeting go, the river levels peaked at around 11pm last night and it continues to fall and should continue to do so throughout today.

“Consequently, we have seen our own internal drainage dykes recede overnight as well, albeit marginally. The forecast for Friday is for a dry, breezy day and therefore we would hope to see further improvement during today.

“Therefore we will continue monitor conditions this morning and an announcement regarding timings of any official inspection for Saturday will be made later on Friday morning.”