Randwick horses cleared of flu
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The indefinite ban on horse movements around NSW will remain in place. (Getty Images: Amos Aikman)
New South Wales Primary Industries Minister Ian McDonald says tests for influenza on horses at Randwick Racecourse have proven negative.
The stables of Bart Cummings and Gai Waterhouse came under the spotlight, after three of their horses showed symptoms.
The three horses were tested today and all have been cleared of the infection.
However, the indefinite ban on horse movements around the state will remain in place.
Mr McDonald says the negative tests is some welcome news.
"This is the best news since this crisis started particularly for the thoroughbred industry," he said.
"It [equine influenza] hasn't entered into the racing industry."
Forty-seven horses have been confirmed with the disease in NSW and about 30 horses at Warwick in Queensland are also showing symptoms of the flu.
Federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran has extended the nationwide ban on horse movements until the end of the week.
Authorities have now identified 70 properties suspected of carrying the equine flu virus.
Two are in Queensland and the rest in New South Wales.
The most recent outbreak was detected at Minden, near Gatton in Queensland's south-east, after three horses left Warwick before the movement ban was imposed.
Mr McGauran expects the number of affected horses to grow.
"This is how we would want it to be, we want to trace every horse, identify it and then isolate it," he said.
To help that process, Mr McGauran says the ban on horse movement will extend until 1:00pm on Friday.
He says it is too early to say if Australia's quarantine system has failed, despite some early evidence.
"On the face of it, there are questions surrounding the Eastern Creek quarantine facility," he said.
A decision on what race meetings will go ahead will be made on Thursday.
Mr McGauran says the extension of the ban on horse movement will help scientists trace the source of the outbreak.
"The 1:00pm [time] on Friday for a continuation for the national standstill is on the basis that the incubation period, that is the time it takes for the virus to demonstrate itself, is five days," he said.
"So we will have had six days then of a national standstill and that will give us a much better idea of the extent and location of the outbreak."
Prime Minister John Howard has told Sky News the Federal Government is doing all it can to deal with the crisis.
"It's just a reminder of how absolutely precious of how things relating to quarantine really are, but certainly Mr McGauran is working very closely with his state colleagues and the industry to minimise the impact of what is a very serious outbreak," Mr Howard said.
Japan investigates outbreak links
Japanese government officials say they are seeking information from Australia to confirm if there is a link between the outbreaks of horse flu in both countries.
Japan's horse racing industry was shut down two weeks ago after an outbreak of horse flu.
Some race meetings were held at the weekend, but only for horses with clear tests for influenza.
Japan is still trying to identify the source of its flu outbreak, with one newspaper report saying the strain of the virus has never been detected in Japan before.
Until this latest outbreak Japan had not recorded a case of horse flu in 35 years.
Other impacts
The flu outbreak has led to the cancellation of a crucial qualifying event for the Beijing Olympics.
The Sydney International three-day event, which includes show-jumping and dressage, was scheduled for the middle of next month.
The chairman of the NSW Equestrian Federation, David Lawrence, says the indefinite ban on the movement of horses will have a major impact on elite competition.
"Until such time we can get a clear break on this outbreak, we can't evaluate our horse and riders to make a final selection," he said.
And the thoroughbred breeding season has been brought forward because of the lockdown.
The season usually opens on September 1, but authorities will now allow breeding where the mares are already at the stallion farms.
The industry was concerned the lockdown would delay the season because several stallions have been quarantined.
