Epsom racecourse has completed a mass vaccination exercise to safeguard the Betfred Derby meeting from equine influenza. The precautionary measure comes after a confirmed case of highly contagious equine influenza and EHV-4 at a livery yard near Plumpton racecourse led to the cancellation of a meeting there last month.
BHA Restrictions and Epsom's Response
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) subsequently banned all hunter chase races and activities involving non-thoroughbred equines on racecourses from May 20. Access to racecourse property on racedays has been restricted to horses from licensed training yards only. The BHA stated these restrictions would remain until equine influenza levels in the British horse population decreased and the risk to the thoroughbred racing herd subsided.
Epsom's location on public land, combined with the Derby meeting's historical attraction of travelling community members who set up camp nearby, posed additional challenges. Racecourse general manager Jim Allen told Mirror Racing: "We have been in constant communication with the BHA and, as Epsom is an open site used regularly by about 100 non-thoroughbreds a day across the Downs, we wanted to make sure we were on the front foot."
Vaccination Campaign and Community Cooperation
Allen explained: "We spoke to the BHA and we decided to vaccinate all non-licensed thoroughbreds within a mile of the racetrack to make sure that we were covered. The BHA approved the project and within two days we vaccinated every non-thoroughbred within a mile of the racecourse." The Jockey Club also engaged with the travelling community, who agreed not to bring any horses or ponies to the site this year.
In total, 56 horses were vaccinated, with costs covered by the Jockey Club. Allen added: "As soon as the news spread that equine flu was gathering, we contacted the BHA early to ask what we could do to protect the Derby because we wanted it to go ahead in its regular slot. They said we could vaccinate horses close to the racetrack and once we did that they were happy. We just wanted to make sure we protected the Derby."
