Racing Victoria (RV) wishes to advise that the veterinary team monitoring the 19 international horses currently at Sharjah Airport have reported that they are all in good condition and showing no signs of distress.
The broken windscreen on the aircraft they were travelling on from London (UK) has been repaired, and must be inspected by aviation authorities in Sharjah before being passed fit to fly to Melbourne via Singapore.
Whilst the repairs have been carried out, the horses have remained on board the aircraft in controlled temperatures, and have been kept well fed and hydrated.
The team of veterinary experts, led by Dr. Des Leadon, have been closely monitoring the welfare of the horses, and have not detected any abnormalities or causes for concern.
Paul Bloodworth, RV’s General Manager – Racing and International Operations, said: “It’s obviously an unfortunate incident which was out of our hands, but I can assure the connections of the horses that they are in the best possible hands.
“Dr. Leadon is one of the world’s leading authorities on travelling with horses, and he is comfortable with the condition of all 19 horses, who are eating and drinking well.
“At this time we do not have a precise arrival time for the horses, but they will be checked by a team of vets on arrival in Melbourne, as is standard procedure.
“Until they get here we won’t know when they will complete quarantine, but we are in discussions with the government and remain hopeful that they will be allowed to race from Caulfield Guineas Day onwards.”