FESTIVAL FEARS AS FLU SPREADS
174 stables in lockdown after more positive tests
RACING yesterday received the news the sport dreaded as more horses tested positive for the equine flu virus.
A total of 174 racing stables are now in lockdown pending the results of swab tests for the highly contagious virus – with the Cheltenham Festival due to start in just a month’s time.
On Thursday, the British Horseracing Authority suspended racing in Britain until Wednesday at the earliest after three horses in
Grand National-winning trainer Donald McCain’s Cheshire stable tested positive for equine flu.
And yesterday the
BHA revealed three additional cases at McCain’s Bankhouse yard, including Raise A Spark, who finished last of four at Ayr on Wednesday.
“Of the samples that have been returned so far, three further positive results for equine influenza have been reported, all from the original affected yard,” said a BHA statement yesterday.
“This means that in total six positive tests have been returned from the horses tested so far from this yard. Of the four horses from this stable who competed at fixtures this week, one has returned a positive sample so far – Raise A Spark, who competed at Ayr on 6 February.
“The test on this runner relates to a sample taken the following day, and the horse showed no clinical symptoms on raceday.”
In addition to the results on McCain’s horses, three further instances of equine flu have been found at Rebecca Menzies’ stable in Mordon, Co Durham.
“This yard had runners at the fixtures at Newcastle on February 5 and Wolverhampton on February 6,” added the BHA statement.
“No links have been identified between this yard and the original yard.”
As a result of yesterday’s news, nearly one-third of Britain’s 600 racing stables are in lockdown.
And fears are growing the number of fixtures lost to the crisis will increase further.
BHA chief executive Nick Rust admitted: “Until we know the full extent of the distribution of the virus, we won’t know where we are.”