New Zealand horses set to fly as racing goes back to work without a hitch

A test flight of New Zealand horses to Australia yesterday was a success and paves the way for restricted flights to resume. Picture/ Supplied

Horse racing's first day back at the office not only went off without a hitch on Tuesday but came with an unexpected bonus.

Because while horses flooded back to training tracks around the country and strict Covid-19 protocols became the norm, the borders between New Zealand and Australia took a huge step closer to re-opening for horses.

The transport of horses between New Zealand and Australia is a crucial part of the horse racing industry, whether the horses are travelling for racing opportunities, being sold or transferring stables, broodmares travelling to be served (mated) and yearlings purchased in either country heading to their new homes.

Flights of horses stopped when New Zealand went to Covid-19 alert level four and that meant some horses missed their shots at $1 million races while other horses with more moderate targets were left trapped here without racing while Australian racing continued.

But one of New Zealand's two main companies who flies horses to Australia and beyond, New Zealand Bloodstock Airfreight, conducted a successful test flight from Auckland to Sydney yesterday, paving the way for a return to horses moving between the two countries.

NZB Airfreight, who shares the New Zealand horse flying market with IRT, conducted the test flight with strict protocols including the professional grooms who travel with the horses not getting off the flight when it arrived in Sydney.

The test flight was conducted with all grooms in full personal protective equipment including overalls, masks and gloves, with loading and unloading completed by a separate bubble of handlers to avoid any potential spread of the virus. Horses can not carry or spread Covid-19.

All horses were from the same New Zealand property, using only one horse float for transport to the airport and one vet for the inspections and pre-flight checks, allowing complete control over horse and human movements and detailed contact tracing recorded. 

NZB Airfreight says their strong relationship with Tasman Cargo Airlines staff and pilots has made it possible for the planning process to get underway for future flights.

While NZB Airfreight are working on opening all ports for equine freight, services in the near future will only be possible via Auckland to Sydney and return until government alert levels are eased to a Level 2 or lower.

That successful test means New Zealand horses who raced at the rich recent Sydney carnival can return home soon while horses from both the thoroughbred and harness codes could effectively be sent to Australia to race, entering through Sydney, once they return to race fitness.

The process of getting horses back to fitness started around New Zealand on Tuesday morning, with all training tracks open to horses but closed to the public as they are now declared work places.

"I had a good look at the protocols in place here (Cambridge) and I am very confident we can train horses with even less risk than a normal workplace," says Tony Pike, the president of the Trainer's Association.

Most of the country's larger stables of both codes had horses return and will have larger numbers in work by next week, with the harness racing training track at Pukekohe also busy yesterday for the first time in five weeks.