WORCESTER have been forced to abandon the chases scheduled to take place at the meetings on Wednesday, April 23 and April 30.

But the fixtures will still go ahead at Pitchcroft as the British Horseracing Authority have instead programmed an all-hurdle card.

Course chiefs have blamed the chase abandonment on a prolonged period of cold weather following flooding to the track earlier in the year.

It is hoped the chase course will be raceable in time for the next Worcester fixture on Sunday, May 11.

Clerk of the course Fergus Cameron said: "Spring has been quite late in coming and the grass has been growing slower than we would have liked."