DUBAI OFFICIALS DENY FMD PROBLEM Fears that an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease could affect Saturday week`s Dubai World Cup meeting were scotched today by officials of the Emirates Racing Association. Connections of Australasian champion Sunline had been concerned that the New Zealand-trained mare, who arrived last Thursday to be prepared for the Dubai Duty Free, would not be able to return home after the race because of the reported outbreak, which was said to involve 22 cases. 'I don`t know where they got that figure from,' said Martin Talty, media officer to Emirates Racing Association. 'As far as an outbreak is concerned they found suspected cases in eight cattle in an import slaughterhouse in Al Ain, which is in another emirate and is about an hour and a half`s drive away from the horses` quarantine centre. 'Sunline`s trainer Trevor McKee got to Dubai this morning and he`ll probably assess the situation. I`m sure he`ll find everything fine - which it is - with our state of the art quarantine centre. 'It is all systems go for what will be a fantastic meeting.' McKee, also a 50 per cent owner, had told the New Zealand Press Association (NZPA) he was unsure of the situation. But he added: 'I`ve been talking to the secretary (of Emirates racing) and he said everything`s okay here.' It appears Australian authorities would come to the rescue of Sunline even though this week they said horses were to be banned from entering Australia from Ireland and Britain. The director of animal biosecurity in New Zealand, Derek Belton, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, said it looked as though the Australian quarantine authorities were prepared to make an exception to allow Sunline and an Australian racehorse back into Australia. This would enable Sunline to return to New Zealand through Melbourne.
