Quarantine concerns from Ballydoyle
September 6th 2008 06:23
Aidan O'Brien has given indications today that he may not be sending any representative from Ballydoyle to race in Melbourne this Spring.
(photo: coolmore.com)
O'Brien has indicated that he is not happy with the new quarantine requirements that are now in place as a result of last year's Equine Influenza outbreak in Australia.
The new regulations require O'Brien to quarantine his horses in Ireland for two weeks before they travel to Melbourne where they must serve another three weeks quarantine.
“Before we think seriously about sending any horses to Australia for the Melbourne Cup or other races, we want to see if we can come to a mutually acceptable agreement on the quarantine situation."
“They want us to lock any horses we are planning to send to Australia in an isolation area at Ballydoyle with no access to our main gallops."
“We're talking about three weeks with only access to a short gallop, which would make it difficult for training purposes.”
“Last year we were able to use the main gallops when Mahler and Scorpion were in quarantine here, which made things a lot easier." - Aidan O'Brien (given in interview with Racing Post UK).
A representative from the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service will visit Ballydoyle with officials from Ireland's Department of Agriculture in a bid to resolve O'Brien's situation.
European horses who are to race in Melbourne this Spring must enter quarantine be next Wednesday if they are to run in the Caulfield Cup on the 18th of October.
While Jane Chapple-Hyam and Luca Cumani look set to proceed with their Melbourne plans, it is the regulations that restrict O'Brien from working his horses in main gallops at Ballydoyle while in quarantine that are causing him to question the viability of coming to Melbourne this year. The Melbourne Spring carnival will lose a major drawcard if no member of the Ballydoyle team makes it to our shores.
horses in training at Ballydoyle
(photo: coolmore.com)
O'Brien has indicated that he is not happy with the new quarantine requirements that are now in place as a result of last year's Equine Influenza outbreak in Australia.
The new regulations require O'Brien to quarantine his horses in Ireland for two weeks before they travel to Melbourne where they must serve another three weeks quarantine.
“Before we think seriously about sending any horses to Australia for the Melbourne Cup or other races, we want to see if we can come to a mutually acceptable agreement on the quarantine situation."
“They want us to lock any horses we are planning to send to Australia in an isolation area at Ballydoyle with no access to our main gallops."
“We're talking about three weeks with only access to a short gallop, which would make it difficult for training purposes.”
“Last year we were able to use the main gallops when Mahler and Scorpion were in quarantine here, which made things a lot easier." - Aidan O'Brien (given in interview with Racing Post UK).
A representative from the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service will visit Ballydoyle with officials from Ireland's Department of Agriculture in a bid to resolve O'Brien's situation.
European horses who are to race in Melbourne this Spring must enter quarantine be next Wednesday if they are to run in the Caulfield Cup on the 18th of October.
While Jane Chapple-Hyam and Luca Cumani look set to proceed with their Melbourne plans, it is the regulations that restrict O'Brien from working his horses in main gallops at Ballydoyle while in quarantine that are causing him to question the viability of coming to Melbourne this year. The Melbourne Spring carnival will lose a major drawcard if no member of the Ballydoyle team makes it to our shores.
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