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SYDNEY - The NSW Government yesterday banned race meetings and the movement of horses indefinitely in the state as the equine influenza outbreak continued to spread.
Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said more than 400 horses on 70 properties were showing symptoms of the virus, and 51 horses had been confirmed as carrying it.
Randwick Racecourse was shut down yesterday morning after four horses - three in the stable of leading trainer Gai Waterhouse - were found to have elevated temperatures.
All training and movement of horses has been suspended.
If tests show the animals have horse flu, it will be almost impossible to prevent the disease spreading through one of Australia's premier racecourses and training centres.
"The implication for the racing industry would be incredibly severe indeed," said Macdonald.
"It is a virtual certainty there would be no races at Randwick for a month."
More than 700 horses were at and around Randwick and they were "the cream of racing in NSW".
Macdonald said the ban on racing and horse movements would be reviewed on Monday.
He said it was essential that people did not try to move their horses.
"If people follow the guidelines, that will limit the spread."
Macdonald said an inter-departmental task force had been set up to help people who had leisure horses stranded on properties in NSW.
"We know there are people doing it tough, and the RSPCA is also helping with horses that are stranded."
Shares in Australian betting firms fell, and the top wagering group, Tabcorp Holdings, said it expected to lose about A$150 million ($172 million) in turnover because of the cancellation of all racing last weekend.
Federal Treasurer Peter Costello said Australia's first horse flu outbreak would take a heavy economic toll.
"When you take into account breeders, trainers, jockeys and race meetings, the outbreak will affect the economy," Costello said.
"It is a terrible thing and our authorities are going to try to come to grips with it as quickly as they can."
The highly contagious disease has the same debilitating effect on horses as influenza has on people, causing high fevers, coughing, sneezing and lack of appetite. In rare cases, it can be fatal. It does not affect humans.
Australian officials suspect the disease may have come from Japan, which has just been hit by a much larger outbreak.
Racing was cancelled in Japan last weekend for the first time in more than 35 years after almost 100 horses tested positive
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys said racing might not resume in the state for a week.
The flu outbreak has occurred on the eve of Australia's thoroughbred breeding season, when some of the world's top stallions arrive from the Northern Hemisphere.
The New Zealand Government has closed its borders to all horses from Australia, including the dozens of top American, European and Asian stallions sent to Australasia for the breeding season.
The outbreak is also threatening Australia's premier spring racing season, which includes the Melbourne Cup on November 6.
Australian bookmakers have frozen all betting on the cup until the crisis is resolved.
But Victorian Racing Minister Rob Hulls is optimistic that Melbourne's spring racing carnival will not be affected.
He said racing was expected to resume in Victoria by Saturday, and some training could start before then.
"I'm very confident that the Melbourne Cup and also the spring racing carnival should proceed on the normal days in Victoria."
Australian Racing Board chairman Andrew Harding said the industry had always been concerned about horse flu entering Australia, "and now the nightmare is here".
"This is causing our people enormous hardship. Most do not receive an annual income - if there is no racing they have no income."
- Reuters
