Ballina track escaped potential flu outbreak
Three horses arrived at the Ballina racetrack from Randwick racecourse only days before the outbreak of equine influenza which closed the Sydney track and has since created havoc with the racing and thoroughbred breeding industry.
But thankfully for the Ballina Jockey Club, the horses all tested negative to the virus when checked, club president Gary Kliese said at a press conference today to announce the postponement of the Ballina Cup, which was scheduled for next Thursday.
The jockey club and Ballina Shire council representatives met on Monday night to discuss options for the Cup, and decided to postpone it until November 15.
Mayor Phillip Silver said the council would ask the State Government to defer the half-day Cup holiday to November 15.
Mr Kliese said the club hoped that the Department of Primary Industries would inspect Ballina racecourse as soon as
possible and clear the way for ‘in-house’ meetings.
He said that Ballina racecourse had about 150 horses in work — enough to allow a meeting to go ahead with only Ballina-trained horses.
If an in-house meeting went ahead it would allow trainers, jockeys and other staff to earn income but members of the public would be banned from attending because of quarantine restrictions.
Mr Kliese said he had heard rumours of positive equine influenza tests at Iluka and on the Tweed, but he hoped they were not true.
“An outbreak could close us down for months,” he said. Such a situation would mean economic disaster for racing industry employees and the jockey club.
Mr Kliese said the Ballina track had a ‘very clean system’, with only one entrance and exit (Racecourse Road). The Grafton track, for example, is much more open to public access.
Meanwhile, Cr Silver said that today was ‘the point of no return’ for the Cup. He said that a ban on horse movements between Taree and the Tweed would be reviewed next Monday, but that was too late in regards to Cup preparations.
Cr Silver said the jockey club was being ’sensitive to the economy of the town’ in postponing the Cup.
Mr Kliese said the club had invited the council to partake in postponement discussions ‘because we’ve got to look after the townsfolk and businesses’.
Stephen Taylor, the jockey club secretary, said a rescue package was available for employees affected by the ban on racing. He said those affected could contact the Ballina Jockey Club or visit the Racing New South Wales website.
* See our earlier report below.
