Things went ahead mostly as normal at Plumpton on Wednesday, apart from perhaps a slightly smaller number of racers – just 46 runners competed on Wednesday – and a massively increased amount of camera crews. No horses were turned away, although one horse was prevented from racing the night before, due to not meeting the BHA’s bio-security measures.
Many horses could not compete due to not having their latest vaccination booster jab within the last six months. Many trainers don’t give their horses a mid-winter boost, which counted many out for this week’s races.
Thursday saw perhaps less media attention, but while things are returning to normality, they are still without doubt some way off. Out of the 22 stables that were on lockdown due to the outbreak, just one yard, belonging to Donald McCain, remains so. Six horses in McCain’s yard tested positive for the equine flu.
BHA’s managing of the outbreak has been almost universally praised, but the after effects will linger, with fields smaller than usual.
The weekend’s action goes ahead though. Haydock Park has an exciting schedule on Saturday, with the £100,000 William Hill Grand National Trial perhaps the pick of the day’s races. David Pipe won the race two years ago and has a great chance of doing so again, with Ramses De Teillee many people’s favourite.
There’s a 9-race card at Ascot also on Saturday. Paul Nicholls is well set up for the race, with Politologue and Cyrname among the runners.
