The spread of the equine herpes-like virus appeared to be stabilising at the Sha Tin training complex yesterday.
Hong Kong Jockey Club director of racing Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges confirmed there were 15 or 16 new cases of inappetite but because some of those previously off colour were now back in work, the numbers affected were the same - in the mid 60s.
Engelbrecht-Bresges said: 'We don't really see a change in the overall numbers. We're monitoring the situation closely but we're not really worried. For instance, declarations for Saturday are quite normal.' Engelbrecht-Bresges added that they were, at this stage, only speculating that the problem was an equine herpes virus.
'The symptoms are inappetite and some are getting a bit of fever. We are speculating that it is a herpes virus and that our full vaccination programme has kept it contained to the point of some horses showing only mild symptoms.' Trainer Lawrie Fownes' stable was mentioned by Jockey Club officials during racing on Wednesday night as one of the main sufferers, along with Alex Wong Yu-on's yard.
But Fownes was straight on the phone from his buying mission at the Sydney Easter Yearling Sales to categorically deny this was the case.
Fownes said: 'I was absolutely shocked when I heard that it had been on television and in the papers that we were one of the main sufferers.