Premier sale battle hots up

Monday, 26 November 2007

MELBOURNE - William Inglis managing director Mark Webster will meet with Racing Victoria chief executive Stephen Allanson on Tuesday to discuss proposed amendments to protocols to allow interstate yearlings to cross the border.

Today's Herald-Sun newsaper reported that the Victorian Department of Primary Industries boss Hugh Millar was prepared to allow yearlings affected by Equine Influenza (EI) to cross the border from the Hunter Valley to be sold at the sale, but only if they have been vaccinated.

But Victoria's Thoroughbred Breeders president Mike Becker said relaxing restrictions is a massive risk. "And to allow only vaccinated yearlings in makes no sense either - a vaccinated horse introduced the virus to Australia in the first place," he said in the report.