Cleared of blame for equine flu

IRELAND was not to blame for the equine flu outbreak which devastated the racing industry in Australia last year and cost an estimated $1 billion, an inquiry has revealed.

The inquiry, conducted by a retired High Court judge, Ian Callinan, concluded that a number of Japanese horses flown into Australia had the virus.

Fifteen top stallions from Ireland, which were sent to Australia for the start of the breeding season, were caught up in a prolonged “lock down” in their quarantine stations.