Racecourses Guarding Against Foot-and-mouth

A raft of racecourses, including Kempton Park, Windsor, and Ascot, have been
forced to implement heightened security measures after an outbreak of
foot-and-mouth disease at a nearby farm in Surrey.

While races forecast to be staged at the courses are ‘highly likely’ to go
ahead, extra precautionary measures are being taken to guard against the spread
of the disease.

Officials from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) are liaising with
government officials, and revealed ‘biosecurity measures’ will be in place at
Kempton’s meeting on Wednesday.

These include wheel washes of incoming horseboxes and disinfection of
vehicles.

BHA spokesman Will Lambe said racegoers should not immediately be affected by
the measures.

‘We are closely monitoring developments. It should be reiterated that there
is no more risk in the movement of people associated with racing than with other
everyday movements. But we have a responsibility to do anything we can to limit
the risk of the spread of the disease.’

Racing was badly hit by foot-and-mouth disease in 2001, which led to the
abandonment of the showpiece Cheltenham Festival in March of that year.