Victoria:Quarantine Expressions Of Interest Sought

Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) would like to hear from New South Wales trainers wanting to compete at the 2008 Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup and Watpac Inter Dominion Carnivals to be held in Victoria.
HRV is working with the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) on the development of protocols that will allow the importation of a limited number of standardbreds from Equine Influenza (EI) affected states into Victoria for the February / March features.
HRV is hoping to receive confirmation from the DPI in the coming days as to whether the protocols have been approved.
As a result, HRV is calling on all NSW trainers eager to compete in Victoria to inform it of their intentions by close of business next Tuesday, December 11.
Only a limited number of places are available in the planned quarantine facilities at the Harold Park Paceway (NSW) and the Geelong Harness Racing Club (Victoria) and in order to be eligible horses must have:
· Been vaccinated against EI and received their booster shot, or had the EI virus and made a full recovery on a property resolved as an infected property.
· Be ready to go into quarantine at Harold Park on December 27 for an expected period of seven days.
· Be available to be transported via commercial transport operators to Geelong, where they will be in quarantine for an expected period of 14 days. Subject to there being no problems during quarantine, the horses will be released from detention in Victoria around Friday, January 18 after which they will be permitted to race.
· Be an elite three-year-old pacer or open class pacer/trotter. In the likely event that the number of horses that wish to enter Victoria to contest the Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup and Watpac Inter Dominion Carnivals (including the Alabar Victoria Derby) under the planned quarantine protocols exceeds the number of places available, the final selection decision will rest solely with HRV.
· Comply with the strict biosecurity protocols in force both before and during their quarantine periods in NSW and Victoria.
HRV advises connections that a fee, currently estimated at $5000 plus GST, will be charged for horses that are granted permission to travel from NSW to Victoria for these carnivals. This will cover the cost of quarantine at Harold Park and Geelong and the commercial transport of each horse between the two quarantine stations.
Accommodation facilities will not be provided for trainers and stablehands at the quarantine. This expense will need to be met by connections, again with strict biosecurity protocols to be adhered to as part of the quarantine process.
Owners and trainers are also advised that horses who enter quarantine are not guaranteed a start in any races during the aforementioned carnivals and that each application to enter quarantine will be subject to final approval by the DPI.
Connections of horses eager to enter Victoria in accordance with the above conditions and who have not yet been contacted by Shane Gloury should contact him at HRV on (03) 8378 0238 or via email sgloury@hrv.org.au to register their interest no later than 5pm next Tuesday, December 11.
07 December 2007