All horse racing across the UK has been cancelled until next Wednesday "at the earliest" due to an outbreak of equine flu.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) made the call on Thursday afternoon after halting racing when three vaccinated horses in an active racing yard tested positive for the disease on Wednesday.

Donald McCain has confirmed the three horses that tested positive were from his Cheshire yard and they ran this week at Wolverhampton, Ludlow and Ayr.

In a statement issued through the National Trainers' Federation, he said: "I have been aware of the recent news about equine influenza outbreaks in France and Ireland, and over the last couple of days, I have been concerned about the health status of a small number of horses in the yard.

"Their welfare is at the front of our minds so at my request our veterinary surgeon examined them regularly and we have followed his advice on testing and treatment. It was by following this protocol the positive results for equine flu came to light Wednesday evening."


Mr McCain added that it is unknown if the infection came from recent arrivals or from horses returning from racing.

His prompt action was praised by the BHA.

While human beings are not at risk from the virus, they can be transmitters of it.

The virus has an incubation period of three days, so it will take until Sunday at the earliest before the BHA has all the information it needs.

The BHA said its veterinary team contacted more than 50 trainers and vets on Wednesday to make an informed assessment of the risk of equine flu spreading.

"Whilst no further positive tests have been received, at least three more days are required before it will be possible to make a decision about whether it is safe to resume racing," a statement said.

"We are grateful to trainers and veterinarians for the rapid flow of information and feedback we have received today.

"Because of this, we have been able to make an informed decision earlier than we expected and before we have any test results back from horses from the affected yards that travelled to the three meetings."

The BHA warned horse owners outside racing to contact vets if they were concerned, because "unlike thoroughbreds, the wider horse population in Britain is not vaccinated against equine flu".

Image: Meetings at Huntingdon, Doncaster, Ffos Las and Chelmsford have been axed. File pic

The BHA said horses from the infected yard raced at Ayr and Ludlow yesterday, potentially exposing a significant number of horses from yards across the country and in Ireland.

Meetings at Huntingdon, Doncaster, Ffos Las and Chelmsford were cancelled on Wednesday.

The association added: "The fact that the cases have been identified in vaccinated horses presents a cause for significant concern over welfare and the potential spread of the disease and the action to cancel racing has been viewed as necessary in order to restrict, as far as possible, the risk of further spread of the disease.

"The BHA has worked quickly to identify which yards could have potentially been exposed today and identify the further actions required.

"The BHA is presently communicating with yards potentially exposed to ensure appropriate quarantine and biosecurity measures are put in place and horse movements restricted to avoid possible further spread of the disease.

"The full extent of potential exposure is unknown and we are working quickly to understand as much as we can to assist our decision making."

Equine flu is a highly contagious viral pathogen which causes respiratory disease.

Outbreaks of disease often occur when susceptible horses are congregated and housed in close contact with each other.

Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, lethargy, a runny nose, swollen neck glands and a cough.