Ballarat trainer Matt Cumani says there hasn’t been any new positive tests to the highly-contagious strangles disease that has infiltrated his stables.
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A horse trained by Cumani was diagnosed with the issue on Wednesday and the stable block where it was housed was isolated.
After a further inspection on Thursday, Racing Victoria stewards expanded the quarantine to include all the Cumani horses and those of neighbour James Wardeiner.
In a text message on Friday, Cumani stated things were going well despite the recent concerns.
“All good so far – no new positives,” he messaged.
“Staff and horses in good spirits despite the positive.”
Regional manager of stewards Corey Waller said it is hard to say how long the stables will be in lockdown.
“It will be a matter of when they’re cleared by the Racing Victoria veterinary department,” Waller told RSN927 on Friday morning.
“Obviously that will include testing, no clinical signs of any illness and once all of those steps are taken, then the vets will clear certain areas.
“Obviously it won’t be all at once, it will be barn by barn once they’re all clear.”
Waller said no other stables in the Miners Rest horse complex needed to be placed in quarantine, nor would the issues disturb track work, trials or racing in the area.
Strangles is an infectious bacterial condition that is transmitted via direct contact between individual horses and/or through indirect contact in several ways including contaminated feed, equipment and transport vehicles.
Strangles usually causes upper respiratory tract disease, but can also affect the lungs.
It is highly contagious, although rarely fatal.
