The BHA have announced that next month's Welsh Racing Festival will now be comprised of three all-hurdle cards.
Jumps tracks up and down the UK have voiced concerns about their ability to stage some jumps fixtures as a result of issues caused by a combination of drought and the hottest summer ever recorded.
Chepstow have fallen foul of the conditions, meaning that their popular three-day meeting at the beginning of October will have to be ran without any chases. The BHA have announced plans to transfer these races to Worcester and Ffos Las, with their hurdles races heading to Chepstow and Hereford.
As well as the alterations made to the Welsh Racing Festival, Ludlow's card on 7th October has been abandoned.
Chepstow -- host of the famous Welsh Grand National -- received 63mm of rainfall in late August, however, has seen just 43mm fall this month. Staff at the track were initially positive about the prospect of hosting their jumps season opener without alteration, but 10 consecutive days without rain has caused problems.
BHA head of betting racing, Tom Byrne said: "We appreciate that these are significant changes to the race programme at this stage of the season. However, we hope that as a package they will allow the sport to deliver an appropriate jumping programme over the coming weeks.
“Our intention is to ensure that racing over both hurdles and fences takes place on the best ground available, and we are grateful to Ludlow and Arc [Arena Racing Company] for their support in enabling these interventions. We also hope they are welcomed in the circumstances by participants, and we thank them for their ongoing support.
“Further updates are likely to follow on a weekly basis from this point as we continue to work proactively with racecourses and participants to provide the best jumping ground possible amidst the ongoing challenges presented by the lack of rain across the country.”
Attention will now turn to National Hunt fixtures scheduled for later in October, with racing scheduled to return to Cheltenham on the 23rd & 24th for the Showcase Meeting.
Prestbury Park last staged racing on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival in March following the abandonment of their regular April and May fixtures.
