Kim Bailey has questioned whether racing in Britain will resume on Wednesday


Kim Bailey has questioned whether racing will resume next week after the enforced absence due to equine influenza.

Three cases of the virus were found at Donald McCain's Cheshire yard on Wednesday evening - placing all horses who came into the vicinity of any of McCain's runners at Wolverhampton, Ludlow and Ayr this week at possible risk.

The British Horseracing Authority acted swiftly to notify all trainers as soon as they became aware, with some trainers able to place their runners at those meetings in isolated yards while other stables are currently in lockdown as tests are carried out.

"Personally I don't believe we will race next week, although at the moment we might from Wednesday onwards," said Bailey in his blog for his website, www.kimbaileyracing.com.

"I do believe we will race shortly after, providing all the thousands of swabs taken show up to be clean. The worry is that there might not be a complete set of clean swabs.

"The AHT (Animal Health Trust) will be snowed under with swabs and bloods which might make it difficult to race early next week. They just could need a few more days to complete all their tests and then hopefully racing will be back on track.

"As we are unaffected, well so far, we are making sure there is Virkon (disinfectant) everywhere and hands, feet and tack are washed regularly. We have yet to feel that we are on a set from Silent Witness, but for how long?

"You have to feel sorry for some people involved in this sport and especially jockeys like David Bass who are self-employed and no racing means no income."