Frustrated stable bosses unable to start testing for equine influenza

Some of the biggest stables caught up in the shutdown of British racing have barely started testing their horses for equine influenza.

Richard Hannon and Richard Fahey each have more than 250 horses and are among the 174 yards in lockdown.

Hannon said: ‘No swabs have arrived with my vet but he has been assured they will arrive today. 

All race meetings have been cancelled in Britain until Wednesday at the earliest

‘I have not tested anything yet because I have not got the means. It needs to be done as a matter of urgency so we can get racing up and running again.’

Fahey said: ‘If you don’t live in Newmarket you can’t get the testing kits.

‘My vet asked for 1,000 for me and all his other clients and at the moment he has got 30.’