RACING at Navan on Saturday has been cancelled due to waterlogging. The entire card has been moved to Monday, while Sunday's Troytown fixture at Navan must also pass a 7.30am inspection.

Navan clerk of the course Paddy Graffin said: "Following 23mm of rain in the last 24 hours, parts of the track are now unfit for racing. It is currently raining and it is forecast to continue until early afternoon. Unfortunately we have no option but to cancel the fixture scheduled for today.

"Thankfully I can confirm that today's card has been transferred to Monday, with declarations to stand. The forecast is for the weather to improve later today and a dry night is expected. However, there will be a further inspection tomorrow at 7.30am ahead of racing on Sunday."

Saturday's card was due to feature the seasonal reappearance of Cheltenham Festival winners Marine Nationale and Kopek Des Bordes.

Bypassed fence

Cheltenham's Saturday card has survived. In a social media post at 7.30am, the racecourse said: "Following 35mm of rainfall throughout yesterday, the going is currently heavy, soft in places. The forecast for today is mainly dry.

"In order to avoid areas of the track that are unraceable, the bend turning into the home straight will be reconfigured. Both the hurdle and chase course will be run on a newly configured common bend for all races. As a result, the second last fence on the chase course will be bypassed."

Uttoxeter also goes ahead, having passed an early-morning inspection on Saturday.

Cheltenham's feature race, the Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase, will be without the ante-post favourite Jagwar who was withdrawn on Friday evening due to ground conditions.

The prestigious early-season contest had been a long-held plan for the training team Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero since landing the Plate with ease at the Cheltenham Festival, and although confident ahead of the race the team will have to hold off running their J.P. McManus-owned gelding. He was due to carry top-weight around Cheltenham on Saturday.

“It is because of the way the ground has gone, it was going to be very tough for him so we’ve decided with Oliver and Josh that we’ll wait for another day,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus.

“It’s a pity to miss the race, but it the best thing for the horse. It’s no big deal and he was ready to run, it’s just the ground has gone for him. We’ll be looking at all the alternative races for him now as he is very well and was ready to go.”

The David Pipe-trained Parchment is another significant non-runner in the opening Triumph Hurdle Trial.