It will be business as usual at the National Stud on Monday as it kicks off the 2016 breeding season. The Newmarket Stud had closed its doors since a horse tested positive for equine herpes virus at the beginning of the month but Brian O'Rourke, managing director of the stud is satisfied that the swift precautions taken have had the desired results.
“We're going to open the main part of the farm for coverings on Monday,” said O'Rourke. “We imposed a self quarantine on the main part of the farm and we could have opened that 12 days ago but we decided to take every necessary precaution. The other yard is still in isolation and doesn't come out of isolation until Tuesday week. We've tested every week and nothing has spread, and the one animal is making a recovery,” assured O'Rourke. With five stallions on the roster the stud will be keen to make an uninterrupted start to coverings which traditionally kick off Feb. 15 in the northern hemisphere.
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