A scathing report by former High Court Judge Ian Callinan has re-affirmed what most in the racing industry suspected as to how the outbreak of Equine Influenza (EI) occurred in Australia and closed down the entire horse industry for months.
It was brought into the country by thoroughbreds flown in from Japan. Australian sire Encosto De Lago was one of the first to test positive to EI, quickly followed by several others.
The virus was outside the quarantine when horses that had competed in a show at Maitland started to show positive signs of EI. Some horses had gone to an event at Warwick and that brought the virus into Queensland. A couple of days later 11 horses at Sydney’s Centennial Park became sick and fears were held that racehorses up the road at Randwick could be under threat. Ultimately all horse events were cancelled in Queensland and New South Wales and did not resume until December 1.
The full report is lengthy but basically says the virus was carried by human beings from the Eastern Creek Quarantine centre to other horse areas and a work rider was responsible for transferring it from Centennial Park to Randwick.
The report is scathing, saying even the basic biosecurity measures were ignored for years.
No names of course but a couple of ladies had serious punters in tears a couple of weeks ago. Serious punters spend hours doing the form, checking track conditions, barrier draws, price fluctuations and so on, before placing a bet.
One lady who went to pick up her serious punter husband from a hotel TAB room noticed a horse named Sleepwalker. The couple have a beautiful baby daughter who has been doing a spot of sleep walking recently so Mum raided the housekeeping bank and had $10 on the neddy who proceeded to bolt in and pay in excess of $44 dollars.
Another lady asked a serious punter for a tip for the Stradbroke. He said he was very keen on Vormister. Lady had a few drinks and laughs with friends. Just before they jumped in the Stradbroke she remembered the tip. “What was it?”enquired friends. “I forget,” she replies, “But I think it was Mister something.” The group look down the field and come to Mr Baritone. Up it gets and pays $31 dollars. Group grabs serious punter thanking him profusely for tip. Punter just shook his head and wiped a tear or two from the “peepers.”
It wasn’t only punters who were in pain after long odds-on favorite Fravashi pulled up lame at Eagle Farm on Brisbane Cup day. Vet Peter Reid was examining the colt when he touched a tender spot and Fravashi spun around dislocating the Vet’s shoulder. Obviously a true horseman Peter popped the shoulder back in and gave the colt a needle for the pain before popping a couple of panadol for himself. Further tests have shown the damage is a strained stomach muscle probably caused by the colt slogging through the heavy ground. Trainer Peter Snowden said he wouldn’t be back until late in the spring.
Reckon we spotted one to follow for its next couple of runs.From the Peter Snowden stables.it settled well back in the field and on a heavy track that was not the best place to be. Jockey Josh Parr was fined $400 dollars for not riding his mount out as it ran into second place It’s name Referees.
“We went to the marriage counsellor,” “Rather Rotund Resident of Baker Street confided to Drinking Partner, “and he told the Missus he thought I might have a split personality and the Missus said, ‘I don’t care. I hate both of them’.”