All racetracks across NSW are being checked to see if horses are in danger of being exposed to the deadly Hendra virus.
But no races will be cancelled.
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys said the state’s 126 racetracks were being monitored to see if fruit bats were present nearby, which could expose horses to the disease.
“What we’re doing is a risk assessment to see if there are bats at racecourses and training facilities,” he told AAP on Friday.
“If there are, we’ll put in place biosecurity measures to make sure there’s no exposure … we’re doing a complete audit to make sure.”
So far, only two Sydney racetracks have deemed to be near a bat colony.
Areas of Randwick racecourse in Sydney’s east were closed off on Thursday because a fruit bat colony was nearby.
“There’s hundreds of thousands of bats in fig trees,” V’landys said.
The alarm was raised at Randwick on Thursday after a horse showed possible symptoms of the deadly infection, but subsequent tests cleared it.
Warwick Farm racecourse, in southwest Sydney, is also near a bat colony.
Trainers are being told to cover feed bins to prevent horses from consuming the faeces, urine or birth fluid of fruit bats.
Horses are being kept away from grass areas.
Vets will also be trained to wear appropriate protection to shield themselves from exposure.
A report is expected to be given to Racing NSW on Friday afternoon.
V’landys said bat colonies would not be removed from racecourses.
“We’re not asking for them to be removed because it would make the problem worse,” he said, adding stressed bats were more likely to shed the Hendra virus.
He said Saturday’s races at Rosehill in Sydney’s west would be held as scheduled.
“No racecourses will be closed,” he said.
Nine horses infected with Hendra have died or been put down since June 20, with six in Queensland and three in NSW.
A Hendra-infected horse was put down at Wollongbar, east of Lismore in northern NSW, on Thursday.
Some experts believe the Queensland floods during summer may have forced stressed bats into northern NSW.
AAP TURF
