There are some fears that Cheltenham 2020 could be cancelled as coronavirus fears continue to grip the UK and Ireland.
The UK has 40 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including two in Gloucestershire where the festival is held every year.
Both cases are linked and the patients caught the virus in northern Italy, one of the worst affected areas.
With high-profile sporting events like Ireland's Six Nations game with Italy called off last week and mass gatherings not being advised - punters and bookies alike are wary of the whole event being shelved.
Here's all we know so far about the challenges coronavirus is bringing for the biggest horse racing meeting on the calendar.
What are the odds for Cheltenham being cancelled?
Betfair odds on The Festival taking place as normal shortened significantly this morning after Prime-Minister Boris Johnson said he expected it to go ahead.
The market has the meeting as 1/4f to get the green light and 3/1 to be cancelled.
There has been over €1 million gambled on this market alone on Betfair's online exchange.
Who makes the decision on whether it goes ahead?
The decision though will ultimately come down to the British Government and after Boris Johnson's announcement this morning it's looking likely it will.
The British Horseracing Authority is keeping a close eye on the situation, in consultation with ministers, with the start of the Cheltenham Festival a week away tomorrow.
“Following its Cobra meeting, Government has today reiterated its position that business should continue as usual at present across the country, and that focus should continue to be placed on following their advice regarding controlling the spread of the disease," a BHA spokesperson said.
Could it go ahead behind closed doors?
Around 250,000 spectators attend the Festival with about 80,000 of those set to be Irish racegoers.
If the worse case scenario comes around and the festival is on the chopping block, some people have called for it to be run off behind closed doors.
Legendary jockey Ruby Walsh said last week that the meeting should go ahead behind closed doors even if the virus stopped punters attending.
Walsh told 'The Road to Cheltenham' podcast: "What do you do if the worst happens? Postpone it for three weeks? But who is to say you will be allowed to race in three weeks?
"Then you are on top of Aintree and then postpone it to where and when? I don't know.
"I think a contingency plan of it behind closed doors wouldn't be ideal, but it would be better than no Cheltenham."
