Horseracing: BHB give green light to eight courses

The British Horseracing Board have announced that eight courses - which currently fall within foot-and-mouth exclusion zones - have been given the all-clear in principle to resume racing from a week on Thursday.

The news comes as a welcome boost to a fixture list which has been decimated by the combined effects of poor weather and foot-and-mouth disease.

The tracks concerned, with the date of their next programmed fixture, are Wolverhampton (May 3), Sedgefield (May 4), Hexham and Thirsk (May 5), Newcastle (May 7), Worcester (May 12), Stratford (May 18) and Cheltenham (October 30).

Carlisle, Cartmel, Catterick, Chepstow and Uttoxeter are within three kilometres of foot-and-mouth infected premises so cannot race.

In addition Ludlow (disinfection procedures) and Towcester (livestock on the course) continue to be unable to meet other aspects of the BHB/Jockey Club Instructions and Guidelines.

The guidelines were introduced in early March but have now been revised after consultation with the British Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods.

The key revision relates to the restriction of movement of horses from stables within one kilometre of a premises infected within the previous 30 days.

Horses from such a yard will not be allowed on a racecourse.

Cheltenham had been hoping to stage an all-hunter chase card on May 2, which was to include the Christie's Foxhunter Chase from the cancelled Festival but this has now been ruled out.

Explaining the decision to resume at Wolverhampton on May 3, Jockey Club spokesman John Maxse, said: "It is to do with the timing of getting the new measures in place and May 3 is a practical starting point.

"Cheltenham was an all-hunter chase card and people who have hunter chasers must provide a six-figure ordnance survey grid reference of the yard where the horse is kept when making an entry.

"All these references have to be keyed in. These will be used to check that the yard is not within one kilometre of an infected premises.

"Therefore Cheltenham wasn't a suitable starting point whereas Wolverhampton is the most practical introduction followed by a gradual increase."

Edward Gillespie, Cheltenham's managing director, was saddened by the news that another prime fixture had been lost to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

However, he expressed hopes that the meeting could yet be saved.

He said: "It's frustrating and very disappointing for our customers. We would have had a lot of people and a lot of runners. That meeting is a big event down here.

"We understand that BHB have done a very good job and we are hoping to stage our hunter-chase card later in May - maybe three of four weeks down the road.

"We've only raced here once since December. People will need to get their maps out to find the place!"

BHB secretary-general Tristram Ricketts added: "We remain in close liaison with MAFF and, on their recommendation, are introducing a further refinement of our procedures relating to the movement of horses from stables within a kilometre of a premises declared infected within the previous 30 days.

"We are proceeding with the implementation of the new arrangements as speedily as is practicable."

Northern Racing, the company responsible for the running of Newcastle, Chepstow and Uttoxeter has been hit particularly hard by the outbreak.

David McAllister, who is clerk of the course at all three tracks, had mixed feelings on hearing the news that only one of the trio was able to resume.

"We had hoped to start at Newcastle on Monday but May 7 is a good day to start it is a Bank Holiday," he said.

"I'm pleased Newcastle will be starting again and I hope it won't be too long before the other two race.

"The last meeting at Chepstow was on January 16, at Uttoxeter it was February 24 and we haven't raced at Newcastle since Northern National day on February 17.

"Northern Racing has lost 15 meetings which is unprecedented."

Chepstow representative, Stephen Clare, said: "We are very disappointed. We would have liked to be racing. Let's hope we will be soon."

Ricketts has urged the racing fraternity not to be complacent as the daily number of foot-and-mouth cases continues to fall.

He said: "In view of the fact that restrictions resulting from foot-and-mouth disease are likely to be with us for some time, racing must and will remain vigilant.

"There will be no relaxation of the rigorous inspection procedures of racecourses and the requirements for trainers that are already in place."