Horse racing to resume today in the UK

The activity was cancelled last week after three vaccinated horses in active racing yards tested positive for equine flu.

UK.- The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has announced the return of horse racing activity in the UK today after a week of suspension due to an equine flu outbreak that affected three vaccinated horses in active racing yards.

The BHA’s Chief Regulatory Officer, Brant Dunshea, confirmed through a statement that racing could resume on Wednesday 13, but only with strict biosecurity controls in place. The decision to return racing in a controlled, risk-managed manner was unanimously supported by the industry veterinary committee, said the BHA.

“The BHA is operating a risk model which identifies the level of potential exposure at each yard in order to determine which yards – and in some cases individual horses – are identified as safe to run. These controls were identified as absolutely necessary in order to permit a return to racing. A small number of individual trainers may be inconvenienced as a result of this until they are cleared to race, but in order to ensure an entirely level playing field it would have been necessary to place the entire sport on hold for at least seven more days.

“The measures we are following are intended to minimise the risk of spread of the disease and the subsequent impact this would inevitably have on owners, trainers jockeys and everyone else connected with the affected horses. The BHA is grateful to owners, trainers and vets for their understanding and our teams are working around the clock – alongside those of the Animal Health Trust – to ensure that yards are cleared to race as soon as possible.”