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REUTERS: Horse racing will be postponed in Britain until at least the middle of next week due to an outbreak of equine influenza, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced on Thursday.
The races were initially canceled Thursday after three cases were identified in vaccinated horses from a working shipyard.
Horses from the infected yard competed at Ayr and Ludlow on Wednesday, potentially exposing other exhibitors from shipyards across the country and in Ireland, BHA said in a statement.
Thursday matches in Huntingdon, Doncaster, Ffos Las and Chelmsford City were canceled.
The BHA said the races would only resume on February 13 at the earliest.
"This precautionary approach is intended to ensure that we give priority to the health of the horse population and control of the virus, and avoid unnecessary risk that could result from a speedy return of the race," he said. declared the BHA.
"We are aware of the commercial impact that this can have on sport, but the control of diseases to mitigate the risk of further disruption of sport – and to protect the health and well-being of our horses – must be a priority. "
Coach Donald McCain confirmed that the three infected horses came from his stable.
"Their well-being is at the heart of our concerns, so at the request of our veterinarian, we review them regularly and we follow his advice on screening and treatment," he told the BBC.
BHA said it was working with the Animal Health Trust and that it would inform potentially exposed shipyards to ensure quarantine and biosecurity measures.
The outbreak could not have come at a worse time with the prestigious Cheltenham Festival just over a month away.
(Report by Martyn Herman edited by Ed Osmond)
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