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Waikato breeder John Thompson is trying to persuade New Zealand officials to allow two expensive shuttle sires quarantined and stranded in Victoria into the country.
"I've put a case to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) to consider letting Jungle Pocket and Zenno Rob Roy come over," he said on the nzracingnews website yesterday.
Jungle Pocket and Zenno Rob Roy are at the Spotswood quarantine station, while four other top New Zealand shuttle sires held up (Stravinsky, Storming Home, Iffraaj and Ekraar) are all locked down at Eastern Creek quarantine station, where the equine influenza (EI) outbreak began.
The studmaster had expected to have Jungle Pocket at his Rich Hill Stud by now, with the other horse at nearby Java Thoroughbreds.
"They, along with all the other horses at Spotswood, have been tested twice for EI and both times the tests have come back negative.
"There haven't been any cases of EI in Victoria and the horses at Spotswood have been there since August 8."
But the epidemic may already have moved closer to Melbourne - eight horses with elevated temperatures were being tested last night at the stables of trainer Brett Cavanough, at Albury on the Victorian border.
The horses were showing temperatures of up to 40C and results of the testing are expected to be known today.
"The biggest problem is the horse movement hasn't stopped in the Riverina," Cavanough said last night.
"It's human nature that everyone wants to cheat."
Racing was able to resume in Melbourne last Saturday when a bumper 11-race programme was staged at Caulfield and this Saturday's meeting at Flemington has also attracted strong interest.
* Last year's Stradbroke Handicap winner La Montagna has been transferred to Sydney trainer Craig Carmody due to the EI outbreak.
Brisbane trainer Barry Baldwin confirmed La Montagna, who is stabled at Randwick, was among those to contract horse flu and she will now remain there.
- AAP
