Negative tests raise hopes of resumption

Officials at the British Horseracing Authority are planning to make a decision this evening as to whether racing can resume this week following the six-day shutdown due to an outbreak of equine flu.

With upwards of 700 tests processed by the Animal Health Trust yesterday, all results have been negative prompting the BHA’s director of equine health and welfare David Sykes to say the “data is encouraging”.

However, with the AHT receiving several thousand samples from yards that could potentially have come into contact with the highly contagious virus, the analysis is still ongoing.

The BHA says “a pragmatic and evidence-led approach is being adopted” in order to make a decision if racing can swing back into action as hoped on Wednesday, with a prioritisation plan for testing in place.

That plan places emphasis on “the proximity of horses to a positive test, or to a yard returning a positive test” with swabs continuing to be collected and tested, with some being “fast tracked”.

The BHA also says “a specific plan is being formed as to what the clearance process will be for individual yards to return to racing”.

Sykes said: “The data is encouraging and provides a further indication that the precautionary safety measures have helped to contain the spread of disease.

“However, the picture is still developing and it remains the case that we will make an evidence-based decision about the situation on Monday.”

Former champion jumps trainer Martin Pipe feels racing is unlikely to resume on Wednesday.

Pipe told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek: “I think it might be difficult for Wednesday, it might be doubtful, it depends how they progress on the tests.

“I’m hopeful it might be on by the end of the week, but that’s hope more than anything.

“Of course, Cheltenham is coming up, a very important meeting. We all hope it will be contained by then of course, but there’s lots of racing and planning to be done before Cheltenham.”

Martin Pipe: Doubts over Wednesday meetings.