by Delamere Usher

All stallions, including Thoroughbred shuttle stallions, held in Sydney's Eastern Creek quarantine station will be released at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Some will go to stud farms in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales. Others will return to their Northern Hemisphere bases in an immediate turnaround.

The economic and social effect of the equine influenza outbreak on Australia's racing and breeding industry, the nation's third-largest industry, resulted in the federal government expediting the import of live vaccine as one tool in the fight to halt the spread of the virus.

Peter McGauran, federal minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, announced on Sunday that as many as 150,000 doses of genetically modified equine influenza vaccine could be imported from France in the coming weeks.

He confirmed that 20,000 vials were due to arrive on Thursday and another shipment of 30,000 shots are expected on October 4.

At the moment, there are only 150,000 doses of the vaccine available worldwide, but McGauran said he is prepared to order another 100,000 vials should they be deemed necessary.

From the outset of the EI crisis in late August, leading veterinary opinion was that until the particular strain of the virus was identified, any other type of vaccination was not only useless, but posed complex, possibly dangerous problems. The strain was identified late last week, and production of the live vaccine commenced in France.

McGauran said that distribution and responsibility for the vaccine would rest with the state governments of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. 

Of the initial 20,000 shots, New South Wales and Queensland will receive 9,250 doses each to be used in buffer zones and for the protection of the most economically valuable breeding and racing stock. Victoria will receive the 1,500 shots it has requested for vaccinating horses engaged in the Spring Racing Carnival.  

McGauran said if Victoria required more vaccinations, he would make sure they were forthcoming. 

Australian authorities do not regard vaccination as a silver bullet, but an adjunct to the containment and bio-security measures in place, including the establishment of color coded zones in New South Wales.   

In the green zone, covering some 60% of the state, the total standstill on all horse, mule, and donkey movement has been partially lifted under stringent permits, allowing the first steps towards normalcy. The green zone is free of the flu and borders New South Wales and Victoria, leading to hopes that the virus will continue to be contained. Horses from other zones may not enter the green zone. 

Meanwhile, the outbreak of equine influenza at Warwick Farm racecourse is rapidly spreading throughout the complex, including to the famous Crown Lodge, owned by Woodlands Stud.   

The stud's pre-training facility, Belmont Park at Richmond in the Hawkesbury area some 30 miles west of Sydney, also is infected, as are many lay-up, breeding, and breaking facilities. 

Michael Kenny, chief executive officer of the Sydney Turf Club, conceded that without the pool of around 700 horses at Warwick Farm and the expected stream of young horses starting their careers, the return of full scale racing in Sydney was becoming more problematic. He said that without the two-year-old qualifying races, the 2008 Golden Slipper Stakes (Aus-G1), the club's flagship race and the world's richest race for juveniles, could be in doubt.

The cancellation of the Sydney Turf Club's race meeting at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday cost the TAB, New South Wales's pari-mutuel betting agency, at least $8,649,995 ($10-million Australian).

Bookmakers expected a similar turnover and both revenue streams are subject to state taxes.

Racing New South Wales has called upon the state government to forego the betting tax it will earn during the crisis and return it to the thoroughbred and harness racing industries in their time of need. 

An estimated 50,000 of the 55,000 people employed either directly or indirectly by the industry in New South Wales already are under financial stress.

All sections of the industry have praised Prime Minister John Howard and his federal government for the quick announcement of financial aid. The lack of concern and aid from the New South Wales government is the subject of ongoing criticism.

Victoria Racing says if it does not receive some state financial assistance it will be unable to maintain the current level of prize money. Part of the TAB's income in New South Wales is derived from Victoria's races. The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival alone contributes hundred of millions of dollars to Victoria's economy.

Delamere Usher is an Australia-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent