The ultimate legacy of the six racing-free days in Britain last year may well be a racehorse population across Europe with an even stronger barrier against flu infection
Almost exactly 11 months ago, on 7 February 2019, racing woke up to the news that ‘everything’s off’. Three horses in Donald McCain’s yard, all of which had been vaccinated against equine flu, had tested positive for an American strain of the virus and British racing went into lockdown for the next six days as the British Horseracing Authority worked to contain the outbreak.
Labs worked around the clock to test thousands of swabs, and in all, 23 meetings were lost as a result, including Newbury’s Betfair Hurdle card on 9 February, probably the most important British meeting in the run-up to the Cheltenham Festival. The Betfair Hurdle and Denman Chase were run at Ascot on 16 February but the Game Spirit Chase was among many dozens of races lost, and the effects of the outbreak continued for some trainers well after racing had resumed.
Related: Talking Horses: BHA 'happy to help' over betting concerns after Altior exit
Ludlow 12.45 Mick Pastor 1.15 Rolling Dylan (nb) 1.45 Treasure Dillon 2.15 Private Malone 2.45 Major Dundee 3.15 Fontaine Collonges 3.45 Catch Me Not
Continue reading...