Paul Nicholls-trained Denman could have a later Gold Cup start in 2009

The Cheltenham Festival in March may see earlier starts and the running of feature races later in each day.

Racecourse officials are reviewing this year's meeting, which saw Wednesday's card abandoned because of high winds.

Three days' worth of racing was run on Thursday and Friday, and officials at the course are analysing the effects.

"Some positives came out of it and some things we think we'll carry forward to 2009," clerk of the course Simon Claisse told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"We're considering whether or not we should be running our feature race on each day as race three, it could be race four, or even race five."

Claisse's comments follow the Cheltenham Gold Cup, which is normally the third race on the card at 1515, being run at 1530 as the sixth race in a re-arranged Friday programme which started at 1230.

Certainly an earlier start is an option Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse

Although running nine or 10 races per day is seen as too many, officials are considering other changes to the schedule for next year.

"People seemed to enjoy, when we went from three days to four, having slightly longer gaps between the races," said Claisse.

"It gives people more time to get to the parade ring, get the bet on, get to where they want to see the racing.

"So we might stretch out the times between them but certainly an earlier start is an option."