Start of jumps season could be DELAYED at some racecourses with drought-hit Cheltenham looking unrecognisable

Aerial view of Cheltenham racecourse in Gloucestershire. Picture date: Wednesday August 19, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Credit: PA THE start of the jumps season could be DELAYED at some tracks – with racing bosses ‘concerned’ over the lack of rain and bone-dry conditions at some of the sport’s most famous tracks. It comes as recent photos showed Cheltenham racecourse – which was forced to cancel the final three fixtures of their season – looking totally unrecognisable amid the widespread drought. A photo of Cheltenham racecourse looking unrecognisable taken just last week shows the extent of the lack of rain on some of racing’s biggest venues Credit: PA It’s hard to believe how different Cheltenham – which cancelled its final three fixtures of the season so ‘immediate’ work could begin on the track – has looked this summer Credit: PA Contingency plans to possibly extend fixtures at summer jumps venues are being discussed. BHA director of racing Richard Wyman said talks are being held over whether there is scope to ‘do things differently’ in the next few weeks. That could include some racecourses that have been able to safely hold National Hunt fixtures having more while the ground at others remains unsafe. Wayman said: “We are obviously concerned about the impact of the lack of rain over the last few months and I’d say particularly from the perspective of jump racing, which is obviously due to move up a gear in the next few weeks. “These are pretty exceptional conditions that we are looking at and we are therefore in the process of working with both trainers and racecourses to understand what we might be able to do differently in the next few weeks. “We have had some racecourses that have been watering through the summer and racing through the summer so we may be looking at extending their fixtures a bit later this year. Ascot has been able to safely hold plenty of Flat action throughout the summer but the inner jumps course looks parched in photos taken this month Credit: PA “There may be other racecourses who are unable to start when they would like to start. “The answer is it’s a challenging situation but we are going to work in a flexible and agile way to address it the best that can over the coming weeks.” Most read in Horse Racing Most punters see Chepstow’s Persian War meeting – scheduled to start on Friday, October 9 – as the traditional start of the jumps. A recent photo from the track showed lush, green turf perfect for the jumps, with plenty of watering taking place too. But other tracks, Cheltenham among them, don’t look to have been so fortunate. TOP HORSE RACING TRAVEL DEALS GET closer to the action with these top travel deals. Our travel partners have a range of trips for all budgets to see the world’s best horse racing. Check out these amazing deals – 🍺 Cheltenham Festival — Race tickets and night at one of the local hotels for 2027 — From £159 pp 🐴 Grand National — Ticket to next year’s action plus stay in a leading local hotel — From £189 pp 🏆Epsom Derby — Race ticket plus stay in 4-star hotel — From £179pp 👑 Royal Ascot — 1 night in a local hotel plus ticket to the races and celeb preview — From £159 pp 🏇 Glorious Goodwood — Ticket to the races and luxury hotel for 2027 festival — From £159 pp ⭐ PLUS Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe from £579pp and Dubai World Cup from £1,795pp *If you click on a link in this article, we will earn affiliate revenue. Plans are being drawn up just in case some venues are unable to provide the necessary ground. BHA boss Brant Dunshea admitted this is unlikely to be a problem that ever goes away. He added: “This is not an issue isolated to Britain, it is a global issue and water as a resource and its resilience has been identified by the IFHA (International Federation of Horseracing Authorities) as one of the absolutely priority areas from a sustainability perspective. “You only have to look at Europe at the moment. There are rivers drying up and this is affecting racing jurisdictions all over the world at the moment. “It’s not going to be a problem that is going to go away. “As the climate’s warmed we need to think about things differently.” FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here. Comment now