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Races stumble over African horse sickness fears in Cape Town

Today's planned race meeting at Kenilworth racecourse in Cape Town had to be cancelled yesterday, Gold Circle Racing said.

Today's planned race meeting at Kenilworth racecourse in Cape Town had to be cancelled yesterday, Gold Circle Racing said.

Gold Circle spokesman Gill Simpkins said results from preliminary tests by state veterinary authorities have shown that recent deaths of horses in Western Cape were not because of African horse sickness, but further tests were planned.

"They have asked us to cancel today's meeting while they wait for the test results," she said.

Further results were expected tomorrow afternoon. Veterinary authorities banned the transporting of horses in the Western Cape because of a possible outbreak of the disease. Kenilworth racecourse lies within the quarantine area and today's planned race meeting was the second to be cancelled.

Saturday's racing was also abandoned.

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