Racing Updates - By Horse Racing Australia
Latest Update: Tuesday 9th October, 2007
Time: 9:40 a.m.

This is a News Board to keep your up-to-date with all the latest industry information on the Equine Influenza Outbreak.

Tuesday 9th October: Most horses throughout N.S.W. and surrounding areas were initiated with Equine Flu Vaccinations last week, our local Broadmeadow Track (Newcastle Jockey Club) was also among the 4,000 in the state to recieve the vaccine and scheduled booster shots in a fortnight. To our dismay more horses this week are expected to test positive to the virus with 12 horses testing positive yesterday.

Jockey Club CEO John Curtis says: "It's just unfortunate that this occurred," he said.
"We're into our sixth week as an EI (Equine Influenza) free zone, with only a few more days to go until the horses had their booster needle after their first vaccination last Saturday week. So it's devastating for all concerned."

Tuesday 25th September:
Racing Cancelled in South East Queensland until February 1st 2008, due to Equine Influenza?

Today's race meeting at Ipswich has been abandoned for fear for an EI outbreak. The news came not long before the first race and stemmed from a jockey, scheduled to ride at the meeting, having been in contact with horses in a suspected infected area.

News has just broken that horses in the Deagon area are showing signs of the flu and elevated temperatures.

The jockey in question is believed to have ridden half a dozen horses in trackwork at Deagon this morning, then travelled to Ipswich and had arrived on course to fulfil his riding engagements.

At the time of trackwork the Deagon facility hadn't had a reported case of the EI virus but given the latest developments, the Department of Primary Industry felt it too great a risk to horses at Ipswich, until now also without a reported case of the virus.

They hence decided to abandon the meeting for fear the jockey may have unknowingly brought the virus to the country course on his clothes or gear. The outbreak at Deagon, if results return positive, comes hot on the heels of yesterday's outbreak at Hendra, nestled between Eagle Farm and Doomben that has brought city racing to a standstill. - Source: Racing & Sports

Friday 31st August: Louis Mihalyka From Laurel Oak Bloodstock has released more information about the Flu Outbreak. Click here to read it.

Update II: We are very pleased to inform you that racing will resume this weekend. As of Saturday the 1st of September Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria will be hosting meetings at: Belmont Park, Morphettville, Hobart and Caulfield.

For Members who are subscribed to the Winform Ratings, Saturday's early ratings file is now available. The Weekend Feature Race has also being posted and all Selections via the website can be accessed as normal from Saturday.

For all Members and Non-Members not subscribed to the Winform Ratings this is a a fantastic opportunity for you to order Saturday's Trial Ratings or the Winform Top 5 Selections. click here to order yours now...

We have a good feeling about Saturday with already some pre-selections for Jenni Steven's new book: 'The Best Australian Horse Racing Systems'. If you haven't already got your copy see our Bookshop.

Update: Eight out of 10 racehorses from a Randwick stable tested today for equine influenza have returned positive results, according to racing officials.

NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said the Sydney spring carnival would not go ahead and the Randwick track would be in quarantine for about two months.

The quarantine would extend for 30 days from the last case of equine influenza and was expected to go through the Randwick site quickly, he told a media conference today.

Thursday 30th August: Sydney's Spring Carnival is in doubt after a horse at the city's Randwick Racecourse tested positive for equine influenza. The results of a second check to confirm the illness are expected later on Thursday, but the announcement has threatened to put a stop to all racing in the region. Randwick trainer Anthony Cummings, who called in authorities yesterday after the horse displayed a high temperature, said he still hoped the animal would be cleared."He doesn't display the symptoms to say he's got it and I'm still hopeful there is an outside chance the test will come back negative," he told local sports radio station 2KY. But racing NSW boss Peter V'Landys said if the new tests came back positive, they would mean the end of the Sydney carnival, and have a knock-on effect on other events, including the Melbourne Cup.

The positive EI test is expected to mean a ban on the movement of horses in or out of Randwick will now apply for at least 30 days. There will certainly be no resumption of racing in NSW in the short term. Sydney's spring carnival will certainly have to be abandoned and it is unlikely any NSW horses will be permitted to compete interstate for some time.

Racing is set to resume in all states except NSW and Queensland this weekend after those jurisdictions were satisfied they were not under threat from the EI outbreak.

New Zealand racing has watered down its ban on Australian jockeys competing in Kiwi races due to the equine flu outbreaks. Following discussions with relevant NZ and Australian authorities, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has issued a list of procedures riders or stable staff coming from Australia to ride or work in New Zealand will need to adhere to. Any rider or stable employer or employee who has ridden or worked with a horse in Australia must notify NZ stewards immediately if they intend to work with a horse or ride trackwork or ride in a race or a trial in NZ. Riders must present themselves to the stewards or racecourse inspectors to have all their riding gear inspected. The stewards or inspectors must be satisfied the riding gear has been thoroughly cleaned by washing with soapy water or with standard detergents or disinfectants. The rider will be permitted to ride only after he can assure the stewards or inspectors that the appropriate biosecurity precautionary measures have been undertaken.

Updated Wednesday 29th August (4:22 p.m.): We received this information from our Laural Oak friends:

Wednesday 29th August: After testing and getting clearance for four horses suspected to have the Equine Virus at Randwick earlier this week there has been another Equine Infulenza scare at Randwick earlier this morning with a horse in the Anthony Cummings Stable was showing symptoms of high temperature. After locking the stable down and swobs taken from the horse Cummings is confident that the horse has not contracted the EI Virus.

Tuesday 28th August: Racing is set to resume at Caulfield this Saturday with as yet no confirmed Victorian cases of the equine influenza outbreak that has devastated other parts of the country. The prohibition on horse movement for the rest of the country has been extended until 1pm on Friday and also applies to all donkeys and mules. Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said more than 400 horses on 70 properties were showing symptoms of the virus, and 51 horses had been confirmed as carrying it. Racing was cancelled in Japan last weekend for the first time in more than 35 years after almost 100 horses tested positive. No thoroughbred racehorses had been diagnosed with equine influenza at this stage.

Last Saturdays Moonee Valley meeting will be on Saturday night. Click here to find out more

Monday 27th August: (10:52 a.m.) Authorities predict Victorian Racing to be back as early as Wednesday along with Queensland Racing back by Friday