The Grand National is at 1545 BST/1445 GMT Saturday 7 April

The Martell Grand National Meeting is set to boast an even greater array of riches after the cancellation of the Cheltenham Festival.

It is likely suitable opportunities can be found for many previously Cheltenham-bound horses to compete in alternative races at the three-day Aintree fixture, which starts on Thursday.

A range of extra races are also likely to be laid on at Sandown later in the month.

The Festival had already been postponed from its planned dates last month.

And the rescheduled fixture, from 17-19 April, was abandoned after a new case of foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed in Woolstone, a village five miles north west of the track.

Contingency plans to run Cheltenham's four main championship races at Sandown Park have been under discussion since the Festival was first postponed.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase and Stayers' Hurdle would not be transferred in name.

But new races run over similar distances carrying Grade One status would be staged in their place at the Whitbread Gold Cup fixture on April 27 and 28.

It also looks increasingly likely that a two-mile novice chase, to replace the Arkle Challenge Trophy, will be held.

Meanwhile, Aintree in conjunction with sponsors Martell, the British Horseracing Board, the Horserace Betting Levy Board and Weatherbys, has increased the prize-money pool for four races this week.

The races will also be re-opened for further entries until noon on Tuesday.

The novice hurdle events on Thursday and Friday will now carry �50,000 of prize-money, the novice chase will be worth �75,000 and Saturday's bumper will be worth �30,000.

This latter race is now to be co-sponsored by Weatherbys and will re-named the Martell Weatherbys Champion National Hunt Flat Race.

Charles Barnett, Aintree's managing director, said: "We will be approaching the Jump Pattern Committee to ask them to consider upgrading the Martell Weatherbys Champion National Hunt Flat Race to Grade One status."

Leading contenders

The Martell Cup (1435 BST Thursday) could have a number of horses which originally had the Cheltenham Gold Cup as their main target.

These include ante-post Gold Cup favourite See More Business, Frantic Tan, Legal Right and Lord Noelie.

French raider First Gold, owned by JP McManus and well fancied for the Cheltenham showpiece, is also entered despite fears over travelling because of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

"My horses were being aimed at Aintree so it doesn't disrupt my plans," said trainer Francois Doumen.

"First Gold runs in the Martell Cup and I will discuss the situation with J P before making a decision about Sandown."

Injury-prone Legal Right is also entered in Friday's Martell Melling Chase, along with top two-milers Edredon Bleu, Flagship Uberalles, Tiutchev and Direct Route.