With the confirmation of the outbreak of equine flu in the Western Cape comes the news that racing could be seriously affected in that region for an indefinite period.
In an interview on Tellytrack, the TV channel that broadcasts racing in South Africa, Tony Barnes, CEO of the Jockey Club of Southern Africa, confirmed that racing would not take place in Cape Town until further notice. A quarantine has been placed on the Milnerton Training Centre where most of the infected horses are stabled. At the other Cape training centre in Philippi no cases have been reported as yet.
Horses in the Port Elizabeth area, stabled at the Arlington Racing complex, are displaying symptoms similar to those of the confirmed cases in the Cape but tests to confirm the diagnosis have not been completed. At this stage racing will continue at Fairview racecourse but, in an effort to contain the spread of the virus, no horses stabled at Arlington would be allowed to participate until the necessary tests have been completed.
In Gauteng racing will continue despite the fact that horses that had race in the Western Cape over the week-end had returned to their stables at Randjiesfontein. Barnes stated that these horses had been place in isolation and that they would be carefully monitored for any signs of equine flu.
Racing in KwaZulu/Natal had not been affected and will continue as scheduled.
Barnes said he suspected that the virus’ return to South Africa was possibly due to the importation of an infected animal as the last cases of equine influenza had been reported over 15 years ago. It has now come to light that the compulsory inoculation against the virus had been lifted between two and two-and-a-half years ago. While many breeders and trainers continue to inoculate, many had seen no reason to do so after it had become non-compulsory. – Sapa