Racing yard under quarantine after equine herpes outbreak

Horse owners are being warned to be vigilant following an outbreak of a neurological disease among racehorses at trainer Victor Dartnall’s Devon yard.

The yard was temporarily closed when the potentially fatal condition was discovered last week (14 November) near Barnstaple. Initial test results suggest the cause to be neurological herpes virus.

“We have been working to ensure that the correct, robust security measures have been put in place,” said Professor Tim Morris at the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

“It is in theory possible that horses may have been infectious before the signs of the disease appeared. But we stress that the actual risk of transmission of this virus in a controlled raceday environment is relatively small. This emphasises the importance of trainers being vigilant for signs of disease.”

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