Emirates Racing stamps talk of Dubai as origin for horse with strangles

Energia Davos is among the four of trainer Marco Botti’s horses with one of them afflicted with the disease. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

The Emirates Racing Authority (ERA) said that the International Quarantine at Meydan Racecourse is not the source of the strangles that has affected a horse trained by Marco Botti in England.

Botti trained four horses at Meydan during the Dubai World Cup Carnival, all of which were owned by Stefan Friborg, who died last month.

Energia Fox, Energia Fribby, Energia Davos and Edu Querido left Dubai for Botti’s Prestige Place Stables in Newmarket in England on March 11, according to the ERA.

Botti was forced to move one of the quartet to a pre-training yard called Southfields Stables in the famous racing town.

The unnamed horse has subsequently been moved to an isolation yard to avoid further spread of the disease.

Two other horses are being monitored at Botti’s second yard White Stable, but have not displayed any signs of infection.

Strangles is a highly contagious infection of the upper respiratory tract caused by ­bacteria.

Signs of strangles vary, but a thick yellow discharge from the nostrils, temperature, difficulty eating, and abscesses on the head and throat are all sure signs.

“The ERA can confirm that there has not been a case of strangles in the UAE thoroughbred racing population for more than 10 years and there were no signs suggestive of strangles at any time in horses participating in the Dubai International Racing Carnival,” the regulatory body said yesterday.

“It should be noted that the apparent symptoms of strangles were not identified until 14 days after the horse arrived back at Newmarket.

“This would indicate that the horse was infected post departure from the UAE.”

As a precautionary measure, blood samples taken from the horse in question during its stay in the UAE and before its departure are being analysed for strangles, and the ERA will release the results when they are available.

While strangles has not been present in thoroughbreds in the UAE, there were 13 cases of strangles identified in showjumping horses on February 13 by the ERA.

Those horses had competed at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club, which was forced to reschedule a race meeting last month.

There has not been a case of strangles in Newmarket, the headquarters of racing in Britain, since 2009.

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