Melbourne Cup in Doubt as Australian Racing Comes to a Halt

Doubts have been expressed on Australia's biggest horse racing event, the Melbourne Cup, taking place on the first Tuesday of November this year.

Last Saturday's races in Australia were cancelled as the discovery of the incidence of equine influenza triggered a 72-hour ban on moving horses, ponies or donkeys.

This has placed a cloud over Australia's popular — and profitable — spring racing carnival which reaches its peak with the running of the Melbourne Cup, one of the world's richest horse racing events.

Horse movement restrictions

The 72-hour ban ends at 5pm on Tuesday, August 28, Australian eastern standard time, but there are fears the prohibition on horse movement will be extended.

Scheduled midweek races at Sydney's Canterbury racecourse have now been officially postponed to another date yet to be fixed.

Next Saturday's Sydney racing at Rosehill is under threat of cancellation or postponement.

Overseas horses

With problems in bringing horses to Australia for the spring racing carnival, doubt has been cast on whether last year's Melbourne Cup winners — Japanese horses Delta Blues, first, and Pop Rock, second — will be able to contest this year's big race at Melbourne's Flemington racecourse.

There is a also a question mark on whether other horses from overseas can come to Australia, enter quarantine and be ready for the spring racing carnival and the Melbourne Cup.

'Miracle' needed

Australian Federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran has been quoted as saying a "miracle" would be needed for racing to resume before next weekend.

He had earlier said the Melbourne Cup could be rescheduled. "It is better to have a deferred Melbourne Cup than to have no Melbourne Cup at all," he said.

Photo: The running of the Melbourne Cup © Australian Tourist Commission