Strangles case shuts down Wangaratta races

An isolated case of the equine disease strangles has forced the abandonment of the Wangaratta race meeting.

The decision to call off the Victorian country meeting on Thursday was made after a horse stabled in a barn near the main entrance to the Wangaratta racecourse was diagnosed with the highly contagious disease.

Strangles affects the upper respiratory tract and can be life threatening to horses, especially young ones.

Racing Victoria steward Peter Ryan said on the advice of RV’s veterinary department the main gate was shut and the course put into lockdown.

Ryan said while the infected horse didn’t use training facilities on Thursday, other horses from that barn did, including the swimming pool.

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He said one trainer had arrived at the course with two horses to race at the meeting but was allowed to return to his stables.

“They are to be kept away from their other stable companions and they need to disinfect the float which the trainer has given an undertaking he will do,” Ryan told racing.com.

“RV will be in contact with that trainer to monitor those horses.”

While strangles can’t be transmitted through the air, it can be passed on via contact.

RV has scheduled a new meeting at Wodonga on Tuesday that will carry the same program, with some distance alterations.

Wangaratta is scheduled to again race on April 21.

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