KEY POINTS:
Human error is behind the latest outbreak of equine influenza (EI) at Sydney's Rosehill racecourse, federal Agricultural Minister Peter McGauran says.
Yesterday he confirmed a biosecurity breach at Rosehill was to blame for the virus spreading to one stable at the training centre.
"The tragedy for Randwick, Warwick Farm and Rosehill training centres is that it's been introduced by a human being who has breached biosecurity," he said.
The latest horse flu outbreak at Rosehill was a serious setback for racing in Sydney, but he remained positive Melbourne's Spring Racing Carnival would go ahead.
McGauran said the virus was contained within one stable and there was hope it would not spread.
"The early signs are that the vaccinations which were given to horses seven days ago might be providing some degree of immunity," he said. "But you don't get full immunity until three weeks after the first inoculation."
If the vaccinations already administered to horses a week ago at Rosehill take full effect racing could resume later this month or early next month, McGauran said.
Top Rosehill trainer Allan Denham has questioned why it took so long for the vaccines to be imported after three of his horses, including multiple Group One winner Eremein, returned positive tests to the virus yesterday.
Two racehorses from the stable of Denham's father Jack are also confirmed to be infected.
"The bird's flown. It should have been out six weeks ago," Denham said. "To tell the truth, we could have run three meetings by now and we haven't and now they start inoculating."
The Randwick and Warwick Farm training centres were shut down weeks ago.
- AAP
