Equine flu update

Only horses from licensed training yards to be permitted raceday access

• Precautionary step due to continued rise in equine influenza cases
• Hunter Chase races abandoned and other equine activities cancelled
• Racing community urged to be extra vigilant about infection control  

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has confirmed today that from Wednesday 20 May, only horses from licensed training yards will be permitted to enter racecourse property on raceday.

With a continued rise in reported equine influenza cases in the non-thoroughbred population, this is a precautionary measure to prevent any mixing between the thoroughbred racing herd and horses and ponies from yards that are not licensed.

This decision will result in the abandonment of all scheduled Hunter Chase races from 20 May, including the Hunter Chase evening at Stratford Racecourse on 29 May.

It also means the cancellation of other equine events due to take place on British racecourses, including Retraining of Racehorses (ROR) parades and activities such as petting farms and pony rides as part of family fun day entertainment.

The decision follows consultation with infectious disease experts at Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS) and the Racecourse Association’s representative on the BHA veterinary group. The BHA has also engaged with the racecourses affected, the ROR, the Point-to-Point Authority and the Pony Racing Authority.

We will continue to work with the racecourses that were due to hold Hunter Chase contests to discuss other options for potentially replacing the lost races. The BHA is also working with Ascot Racecourse to replicate the biosecurity measures of a licensed premises to enable the Royal procession to go ahead without any increased risk.

The racecourse access restrictions will remain in place until we are confident that the levels of equine influenza in the British horse population have fallen and there is no heightened risk to the thoroughbred racing herd.

BHA Director of Equine Regulation, Safety and Welfare, James Given, said:

“The news today will understandably be disappointing for many people, but levels of equine flu are higher than at any time in recent history and it’s essential that we take all necessary steps to protect the thoroughbred herd.

“These measures follow extensive engagement with independent infectious disease experts about how we further reduce the risk of exposure and ensure the continuity of racing.

“In addition to vaccination, this can be best achieved by preventing the mixing of racehorses with horses and ponies from premises that are not licensed by the BHA, where we have more limited information about their health and vaccination status.

“I’m encouraged by the response we have already seen from the racing community about the vital importance of maintaining the biosecurity of the thoroughbred racing herd. We continue to urge constant vigilance, especially around the movement and mixing of horses.

“Information about vaccination, infection control measures and spotting the signs of flu are available on the BHA website.”

Racecourses will also be required to increase the period of time between hosting an equine event involving horses from unlicensed premises and a licensed raceday taking place. This period will now be six clear days (from three).

Advice and guidance about equine influenza

The BHA has published updated information for racehorse trainers, racing vets and others about biosecurity measures on yards and how to ensure the best possible protection for thoroughbred racehorses. This can be viewed here.

All horses running in Britain must be vaccinated in line with the Rules of Racing, with booster vaccinations administered at intervals of no more than six months apart. Vaccination provides horses with the best possible protection, significantly reducing the severity and spread of infection.

We continue to advise trainers to be extra vigilant with biosecurity on yards and the movement of horses. All new horses entering a yard, including from the sales, should be fully vaccinated and must be isolated for a period of 14 days.

Trainers and teams should also be alert to the signs of the virus, which include a raised temperature, harsh cough or nasal discharge. Rectal temperatures should be recorded daily. Any horse showing signs of equine influenza should be immediately assessed by a veterinary surgeon.

The rise in the number of reported equine influenza cases across the UK in the non-thoroughbred population is a situation the BHA is monitoring closely. We have not been alerted to any confirmed cases or clinical signs within licensed training yards.

Most of the reported cases are in non-vaccinated animals, but some have occurred in vaccinated horses. It is important to emphasise however that these are horses approaching the point of their next booster vaccination and therefore their immunity is lower.

The latest information about the UK equine influenza outbreaks is available on the EIDS website.