The rules state all horses have to be vaccinated. Because of the epidemic in Europe the bha sent out advice to all! Licensed trainers about the situation and advised them that they think they should check their documentation and boost horses that needed it. Seems pretty fair to me.
They are all vaccinated, to the levels the BHA stated as long ago as yesterday. That is the point. The BHA just moved the goalposts.
Just for the record too (stolen from twitter) Updated list (Trainers with an ineligible entered runner this week re flu booster): Nick Alexander Evan Williams Nick Williams Olly Murphy Kim Bailey (Vaccinated horses 9th Feb) Tom George Nicky Henderson Brendan Powell Lucinda Russell (One For Arthur)
They’ve probably had to do this because so many failed to heed their advice. You’re right it’s only advice and have decided it prudent to make it mandatory due to the situation to bring everyone in to line.
It begs the question though, why didn’t they do this when they pulled the first meeting? Then everyone would have been ok for racing this next week. That’s the problem, it’s all knee jerk.
Negligence on their part. For the sake of about 50 quid for a booster their owners should be having a good look at their trainers.
Wether it be mandatory or advisory the available vaccination would not have covered the strain of equine flu that is currently in two yards. The rule change is ludicrous and you cannot blame trainers for not seeing this coming. All horses going racing tomorrow will have been vaccinated in the last six months but NONE will have been vaccinated against the current virus.
I would have said all need to booster when racing stopped and not reopen until this weekend. That way perception is good even though the practicalities are exactly as before and as stick states. The key bit should be the responsibility of trainers not to take ill horses racing, that’s the only way of limiting spread. That and more active monitoring.
No they advised. They should have said it’s mandatory when they closed shop. Given time to get everyone in line with new policy and then go again.
If I were the BHA we wouldn't be racing for at least another week and making sure no new cases had occurred.
So one assumes it is being done ASAP so as to minimize the performance impact? With only 4 weeks to go that feels pretty tight.
Any horses whose vaccinations are not up to date will not be allowed to race. When there was a problem over here, you couldn't get into the showground without proof of vaccinations being up to date. Hopefully that would be the case at race meetings. Not much point checking once they are inside. A horse carrying the virus may not appear ill. There is an incubation period. Also anybody can carry the virus via clothing etc. I would be thinking twice about sending a horse anywhere at the moment
As I said earlier Oddy, if they just need a booster they could be back in training in a week. If they have to start a new set of vaccinations it will be a minimum of 21 days before they can have their second jab and another week before they could return to training (remembering all horses don't have the same reaction to vaccinations) and that would be Cheltenham out of the window
