Call on resumption to be left late on Monday with vet committee meeting the key

Whether racing should resume in Britain on Wednesday will be discussed at length on Monday night, with an industry veterinary committee meeting key to hopes of the shutdown ending.

When the initial three positives for equine influenza from Donald McCain's yard were revealed, the committee met on Wednesday night, which in turn led to the decision to suspend racing from last Thursday until at least Wednesday in an effort to contain the spread of the virus.

With information on the outbreak changing rapidly as more and more nasal swabs are analysed by the Animal Health Trust, the BHA is keen for the committee to have every possible piece of data at its disposal before any decisions are made.

This means an announcement on whether there will be a resumption for the sport on Wednesday will not be known until 10.30pm at the earliest.

A prioritisation process is in place with swabs in an effort to aid the decision-making process, based on the potential exposure of horses to a horse who has tested positive – for example at the fixture at Ayr last Wednesday – or to a horse from a yard returning a positive test. In addition, some swabs are being fast-tracked.

Along with the six positives from McCain-trained horses, the further four positive tests from Simon Crisford's yard which were revealed late on Sunday night has taken the total to ten from more than 2,000 swabs analysed.

The veterinary committee

David Sykes (Chair) – BHA
Alasdair Topp – Association of Racecourse Veterinary Surgeons
Amanda Piggot – BHA
Antony Clements – British Equine Veterinary Association
Clive Hamblin – NTF
Charlie Pinkham – ROA
Dr Richard Newton – Animal Health Trust
James Wigan – Independent
Prof Sidney Ricketts – TBA
Simon Knapp – RCA

Courses due to stage fixtures on Wednesday, meanwhile, are getting ready as normal in the hope of a green light.

Four meetings are due to take place in Britain on Wednesday, with two over jumps at Plumpton and Musselburgh, plus a brace of all-weather cards at Kempton and Southwell.

It is understood that one option to be discussed is whether jump racing alone could return on Wednesday, with a more pressing need for a resumption than is the case for Flat racing, with the Cheltenham Festival on the horizon.

Testing ground could await the runners at Plumpton if the meeting does take place as scheduled, with 20mm of rain over the weekend leaving the ground described as heavy on Monday.

Clerk of the course and head groundsman Mark Cornford said on Monday: "We've set the track up ready and I've got my fingers crossed.

"It's heavy ground but things are improving. It was dry most of yesterday during daylight hours and has been dry today. If we get as far as declarations tomorrow it should be more soft, heavy in places."

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