We are less than a week away from the start of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival. In the final part of his preview, SAM TURNER takes a look at the big-race trends and contenders for day four.  

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: Sports events could be restricted to crowds of just 500 people if the coronavirus outbreak continues to escalate, under new emergency plans.

The latest case of coronavirus, the third in Gloucestershire, was diagnosed over the weekend and then announced hours before the start of the four-day fixture Festival.

As the coronavirus epidemic continues to take its toll around the world, more and more sporting events are either in doubt, postponed or cancelled altogether as a result.

Imperial Aura saw off a good challenge from Galvin to win the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase.

It's hard to believe anyone appreciated their Festival success more than jockey Brendan Powell on Tuesday.

Up to 70,000 spectators (pictured, packed stands today) are expected to attend the first day of the annual horse racing festival with fans travelling from across Britain to the Gloucestershire course.

The Good Morning Britain host today warned the UK was 'at war' with COVID-19 and slammed MPs for failing to take effective measures to stop the disease spreading.

Dame De Compagnie, ridden by Barry Geraghty, has won the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The horse emerged triumphant at the 4.50pm race, well ahead of Dolcita and 100-1 shot Rayna's World in second and third respectively.

The Champions League and Europa League could be suspended as UEFA consider action to combat the spread of coronavirus after domestic football in Italy and Spain was shut.

Glamorous women turned heads in vibrant colours and standout coats as they arrived at Cheltenham Racecourse this morning.

An estimated 70,000 racegoers are expected to flock to Cheltenham Racecourse (pictured) as PM Boris Johnson continues to refuse banning mass gatherings to combat coroanvirus.

The TV presenter, 44, oozed glamour as she attended day four of the Cheltenham Festival alongside Victoria Pendleton on Friday.

Saint Roi landed a gamble to continue a superb Festival for connections with a convincing victory in the Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The Smile singer, 34, looked effortlessly chic in a long tartan trench coat and a pair of black trousers.

The festival has gone ahead despite fears of the deadly virus which has decimated this weekend's Premier League football and international rugby fixtures.

Willie Mullins revealed his delight after Al Boum's Gold Cup success saw him win his first four races at Cheltenham Festival on Friday. His incredible feat would've commanded odds of 2179/1.

If anyone doubted whether Paul Townend had the ability and the nerve to take over from the most successful jockey in Cheltenham Festival history, they know now.

Racing in England will continue as normal despite most other sports closing down because of the coronavirus risk. The only limit in Scotland with meetings behind closed doors.

The 30-year-old is self-isolating at home and has had no contact with his family since Saturday evening, when he started suffering from coronavirus-like symptoms.

Racing Post will temporarily stop publication of their daily newspaper for the first time since its inception in 1986 due to impact on the sport from the deadly coronavirus pandemic.  

The racing event came under criticism at the time for allowing thousands of racegoers to huddle together, risking a spread of the virus. Over 250,000 people attended the Cheltenham Festival.

Andrew Parker Bowles has revealed he has coronavirus and believes he contracted it at the Cheltenham Festival (pictured, the Duchess of Cornwall's ex-husband with Princess Anne).

The world-famous Cheltenham racing festival in Gloucestershire went ahead last month despite fears over the spread of the virus which was then in its early stages in Britain.

Cheltenham Festival organisers have defended their decision to go ahead with the meeting after fears were raised that the mass gathering of people helped spread the coronavirus

Retired champion jockey Sir AP McCoy said horse racing had followed UK government advice to go ahead last month with the Cheltenham Festival that saw 250,000 people gather over four days.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust has recorded 125 deaths from the disease so far, more than double those in nearby Swindon with 67, Bristol on 58 and Bath on 46.

Cheltenham Festival went ahead just 10 days before lockdown measures were introduced by the government and experts want an inquiry to see if it caused a spike in positive tests in Gloucestershire.

67-year-old landlord Alexander Grierson died after contracting coronavirus during the Cheltenham festival. Calls are being made to investigate why the races went ahead.

The sport has held discussions with figures in the Government about resuming action, and BHA chief Nick Rust has claimed racing is 'ready to go' whenever they are given the green light.

Two of this season's successful Cheltenham Festival riders are maintaining their lockdown fitness by partnering some of Ireland's most choicely bred and speediest thoroughbreds.

An article on May 6 about the UK's death toll from coronavirus said that the fourday Cheltenham Festival was 'allowed to go ahead from March 16'. We are happy to clarify that the Festival in fact ran...

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