More Fallout From Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Fallout from the foot-and-mouth disease that has gripped the United Kingdom continued, with the announcement that Ireland's Department of Defense ruled that all animals must be removed from The Curragh racecourse "for the foreseeable future," according to The Racing Post.

The paper reported that farmers allow thousands of sheep to graze on The Curragh plain, which is owned by the Department. The Curragh is also the heart of Ireland's horse training, with 1,500 horses stabled nearby.

"What this means is that it will no longer be possible to exercise racehorses on The Curragh and it will put trainers in an impossible position," Tony Redmond, manager of the Irish Racehorse Trainers' Association, said:

Trainer Dermot Weld told the Racing Post, "I would hope that this proves to be only a temporary measure and that something can be sorted out within the next 24 hours."

Meanwhile, published reports say that Singapore has banned the import of horses from the UK in reaction to the disease.

The Agri-food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore took the step in an attempt to safeguard livestock on the island, according to PA Sport.

"This temporary suspension is to protect Singapore's foot and mouth disease-free status and our agri-business trade," an AVA spokesman told The New Paper.

The AVA sees a need to "prevent the possibility of horses acting as a mechanical transfer of the disease to Singapore," The New Paper reported.

The paper said a prolonged ban could tarnish the hopes of the 11 UK-trained horses entered in the Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji on May 12.