A RACING fixture Warwick has been cancelled following an outbreak of equine flu.
All races across the country have been called off until Wednesday (February 13) by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). This includes the Gentlemen’s Day meeting tomorrow (Saturday February 9) at Warwick Racecourse.
It comes after three vaccinated horses at a stables in Cheshire tested positive for the disease.
The infected horses raced earlier this week, potentially exposing a significant number of others to the illness.
A spokesman from The Jockey Club, which runs Warwick Racecourse, said: “The BHA has announced no racing will take place in Britain as a precautionary measure following the suspected identification of equine influenza at a racing yard.
“Therefore the race meeting scheduled at Warwick on Saturday will now be cancelled. Rest assured everyone who has purchased tickets in advance will be issued with a refund automatically.
“Racing is our beating heart and we do it for the thrill of it. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.”
The BHA says the health of horses comes over the impact race cancellations may have on the sport.
A spokesman said: “This precautionary approach is intended to ensure we put the health of the horse population and control of the virus first, and avoid any unnecessary risk that might come from returning to racing too quickly.
“We appreciate the impact that this may have on the sport commercially, but disease control in order to mitigate the risk of further disruption to the sport – and safeguard the health and welfare of our horses – must be a priority.”
Visit www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/warwick for more information on a refund or fixtures.
