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Tuesday, 26 February 2008

Meeting this week to decide NSW zones

Racing officials are hopeful movement restrictions throughout the state will be lifted this week to allow horses to travel freely without quarantine.
Representatives from Racing NSW and the NSW Department of Primary Industries will meet on Thursday with an announcement expected later that day.
The state is currently divided into coloured zones which were established in the wake of the equine influenza (EI) outbreak last August.
Different protocols are in place regarding movement from one zone to another depending on whether the area was affected by EI.
"The date set down was March 14 but we have a meeting on Thursday and we are hoping this will be brought forward to March 1," Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy said.
"That would allow free movement."
At the moment, horses coming to Sydney from EI free zones such as Canberra, are required to spend time in quarantine at Canterbury racecourse before returning home.
But although restrictions are to be relaxed, Murrihy urged horse owners and trainer to ensure those horses not infected with EI received their third vaccination shot.
The board of Racing NSW has introduced a new rule which means horses that have not been vaccinated will be unable to compete.
"During the crisis the stewards went round all the training centres and ensured the vaccinations were carried out but this is now the responsibility of trainers," Murrihy said.
"Some people still have an expectation we will be out there to do it but that is not the case.
"At every meeting in the past couple of weeks there have been horses coming out because the vaccination had not been done.
"If it isn't done within three to four months of the second vaccination, the process might have to start all over again and we don't want that."

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