Racing NSW lays down law on vaccines

THOROUGHBREDS that have not received all three equine influenza vaccination shots will be barred from racing in NSW as the State Government prepares to lift the ban on horse movement.

The board of Racing NSW has introduced a rule which will prevent horses not fully inoculated against EI, including interstate arrivals for Sydney's autumn carnival, from racing. NSW is the first state to introduce the rule.
"All mine have been done," leading trainer David Hayes said yesterday. "I've got nothing to worry about."
Hayes, who quinellaed Saturday's $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes for the third consecutive year, confirmed the winner, Reann, and runner-up All American would each have one lead-up run in Sydney before contesting the $3.5m Golden Slipper at Rosehill on April 19.
"I'm looking to have a large team in Sydney and these two-year-olds haven't been wound up," Hayes said. "I'll be bring handicappers like The Fuzz and Laser Sharp up for the staying races, like the Sydney Cup."
Hayes has fallen idol Miss Finland running in Saturday's Futurity Stakes at Caulfield and admitted if she flopped again, the mare would be heading to stud.
"But I'm not even thinking about that," he said. "I think we will see the best of her on Saturday over the mile. Her first-up run in the Lightning was very good and I probably shouldn't have run her in the Australia Stakes."
Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy warned that trainers, not stewards, were responsible for administering the third EI shot.
The Government has set March 14 as the day the horse movement ban will be lifted, but the mail is that will be brought forward to March 1.