• Four new cases are found including three at original yard
Concern that an outbreak of equine influenza could extend the shutdown of British racing beyond next Wednesday deepened on Friday when the British Horseracing Authority confirmed that what is suspected to be a fresh case of the disease has been identified in a stable whose recent runners had no obvious point of contact with Donald McCain’s yard in Cheshire. The news followed the disclosure that McCain’s gelding Raise A Spark, who finished last in a race at Ayr on Wednesday, had tested positive for equine flu.
The yard housing the suspected fresh case of equine flu has yet to be identified but sent runners to the meetings at Newcastle on Tuesday and Wolverhampton the following evening. As a result a further 52 training yards which also had runners at these meetings have been added to those on ‘lockdown’ after the initial outbreak at the McCain stable, bringing the total number of yards on lockdown to 174. The BHA expects to confirm on Saturday morning whether the initial fears that the horse, which had been vaccinated against equine flu, has tested positive.
Written by Greg Wood
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/feb/08/equine-flu-outbreak-spreads-horse-racing-stables-lockdown under the title “Equine flu outbreak spreads with 174 racing stables now in lockdown”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
