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Two UK Tracks Cancel Next Week's Races2 March 2001UNITED KINGDOM – As reported by the Racing Post: "Carlisle and Catterick today became the first meetings due to be staged following the proposed resumption of racing next Wednesday to be lost due to the foot and mouth crisis. "Carlisle lies in an agricultural area and could not comply with Jockey Club guidelines. "The British Horseracing Board and the Jockey Club today issued the guidelines and instructions to all involved in racing for use when the sport is set to resume on Wednesday. ". . . Failure to comply with the instructions, which are aimed at racecourses, trainers, owners, jockeys and racegoers, would constitute a breach of the Rules of Racing and result in disciplinary action. ". . . Clerk of the course Johnnie Fenwicke-Clenell said: "Carlisle will not be racing next Thursday. " 'We cannot comply with Jockey Club regulations because we have sheep in the middle of the course that cannot be moved. There is farmland both in and around the racecourse.' "Catterick's meeting on Wednesday quickly followed the same route as Carlisle. The course's managing director John Sanderson said: 'Catterick racecourse is part of the rural community and only a few miles from the nearest restricted area.' ". . . A decision on whether Bangor's meeting on Wednesday will go ahead will be taken on Monday. ". . . The Jockey Club and BHB aim to control the spread by implementing certain rules. They are: " -- All cars entering and exiting racecourse property will pass through a disinfectant wheel wash. " -- All pedestrians entering racecourse property will have to walk through a disinfectant pool/tray. " -- All lorries will pass through a wheel wash and spray on arrival, then will be thoroughly power washed and disinfected before leaving. This will ensure that there is no chance that the virus could be carried by the lorry from the racecourse in the unlikely event that it has picked up the virus in the lorry park. " -- Trainers will be required to clean and disinfect horses' feet before leaving their yards. "-- Vehicles transporting racehorses will not be used for transporting any other species of animal. "BHB racing director Paul Greeves said: 'The BHB and Jockey Club are very keen to ensure that everyone involved in racing can be confident that their actions will not spread this terrible disease.' "James Wood, head of epidemiology at the Animal Health Trust, said, 'We fully endorse the guidelines issued by racing today, which will enable those both within and outside the industry to have confidence that a resumption of racing will present a negligible risk of spreading infection.' " |