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MELBOURNE: Victorian authorities are confident racing would
resume in the state by next weekend, if not earlier.
Racing in Victoria was cancelled on Saturday and yesterday and no
meetings can be held today or tomorrow as a precaution against an equine
influenza outbreak in NSW.
While the virus appears to have spread to Queensland, there have been no
reports of it in Victoria and up to last night it has not been detected
in a thoroughbred racehorse anywhere in Australia.
Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) chairman Graeme Duff said a lockdown of
racing stables in force since Saturday morning will end at 5pm tomorrow,
technically allowing a resumption of training and racing.
“We are on target to reach a point on Wednesday that we’ll be racing,”
Mr Duff said.
“As it stands now, next Saturday’s meeting will definitely be held.”
Mr Duff’s assurances came on the heels of comments made only an hour
earlier by federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran, who declared a
miracle would be required for racing to resume before next weekend.
“If we’re racing next Saturday, then we should all breathe a sigh of
relief,” Mr McGauran said.
“If there’s any racing in Australia before then, it will be a minor
miracle.”
Mr McGauran also kept his options open about the impact the horse flu
might have on Melbourne’s spring racing carnival, suggesting it could be
rescheduled if the virus forced a further shut down of racing.
“It is better to have a deferred Melbourne Cup than to have no Melbourne
Cup at all,” he said.
Meanwhile, gaming giant Tabcorp Holdings Ltd will lose turnover of about
A$150 million if Australian thoroughbred and harness racing does not
resume until next weekend.
A Tabcorp spokesman said the 72-hour suspension of Australian racing
from yesterday already had impacted significantly on race betting.
NSW and Victorian TAB turnover yesterday was A$5.9 million, well down on
last year’s comparative A$52.8 million.
 
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