Finally the much awaited test result for Glanders confirmed that One To Cherish, a two-year-old from trainer Suraj Shaw's yard, to the disappointment of the Mysore Race Club (MRC) tested positive and the authorities at the National Research Centre for Equines (NRCE), Hisar have instructed the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Hebbal (Bengaluru) to take necessary actions under the provisions of Infectious Diseases Act (2009) in vogue in the state with immediate effect. The equine movement to and from this and adjoining areas will need to be strictly checked and considering the fact that the Mysore Zoological park is within the two-kilometre radius, the equidae species (Zebra) at the zoo will need to be mandatorily tested for the dreaded highly contagious zoonotic disease.

Even before the disappointing mail from NRCE arrived at MRC confirming One To Cherish positive in the evening, the trainers at this centre and the mandarins of the club had lost hope after learning that the horse under the care of Suraj Shaw had succumbed to the disease in the morning. " Well we were hoping and praying that we get a negative result, but that didn't happen and like the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC), we also need to shut-shop for the next three month," said MRC chairman, G Venkatesh. 

It is also learnt that after the two-year-old from Inayathullah's stable tested positive, the next batch of results emanating from NRCE confirmed the second positive case at BTC, the horse under the care of Rajesh Narredu suffering from the disease, while two horses from Azhar Ali's yard and a solitary random sample drawn from one of the horses in Purshotham's stable tested negative. Well in this case, the count doesn't really matter, one or 100, the three-cycle test after every 21 days comes into play and even if one horse tests positive in the final third test, the cycle needs to be repeated again on the 650-700 stationed at BTC. 

Now with no racing for the next three months in South, Hyderabad still struggling to come clean, owners are a worried lot. The loss of one full season and the cloud of uncertainty, not knowing when the clubs will be cleared to resume racing has pushed the owners back against the wall and most owners made no secret of their opinion that had the concerned veterinary departments of the two clubs acted on time, it could well have been a different story. But the fact remains that this is a highly contagious disease and containment is just not easy. 

A couple of owners at BTC suggested that the club in this crisis should help out the owners, funding half of the basic maintenance fee till the time racing resumes at this premier centre. Looking at the situation and the circumstances, it is a genuine request, but does BTC have the funds to honour the request, well your guess is as good as mine.