Equine Flu Latest: Racing back today but Grand National hero One For Arthur among host of stars not allowed back on the track

GRAND NATIONAL hero One For Arthur is among hundreds of horses unable to race after the BHA brought in new rules to combat the spread of equine flu.

Lucinda Russell, Nicky Henderson, Dan Skelton and Tom George are among dozens of trainers affected by the new requirement that blocks horses from the track if they haven’t been vaccinated within the last six months.

One For Arthur – winner of the 2017 National - was due to have his Aintree prep run at Haydock this weekend.

Having missed the whole of last season through injury and unseated his jockey in both runs this term it’s far from ideal for Russell as she tries to prepare her stable star for the world’s greatest race.

He could now go to Kelso’s Premier Chase if ground conditions are on the soft side.

Russell’s partner and assistant Peter Scudamore said: “It’s been good ground at Kelso all season.

“I understand why the BHA were cautious but to wake up this morning to find there’s a new set of rules is infuriating.

“We’ve had the swabs back from the five horses that ran at Ayr and they’ve passed the test. Lucinda was told this morning they’ve now got to be retested.

“I find it so depressing – we’re not getting looked after. They say they’re busy but so are we.

“This race at Haydock could’ve been his day. I just wish things weren’t changing all the time.

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“It’s almost like a retrospective law. I feel a sense of injustice with this whole thing.

“I would like to think the sport is being run a bit better these days.”

Champion trainer Henderson’s plans for some of his Cheltenham Festival hopes have been thrown into disarray.

RSA favourite Santini was among a raft of horses he was hoping to give prep runs to this weekend. Top Notch, Yellow Dockets, On The Blind Side and Countister were others. They are now all in dock.

Henderson said: “It's been a frustrating two weeks, as we were snowed in before this.

“We’re only just getting our flu test results back but I gather they are all OK.

“We’ve got one or two frustrations because of the vaccinations - it has caught out one or two horses as they have just fallen outside of the window. We have just got to juggle a few things around.”

Where there are losers there is always winners. Paul Nicholls revealed he vaccinates all his horses in January and he is unlikely to miss the opportunity to take advantage while racing is unusually uncompetitive.

Warren Greatrex is another.

He said: “When it came out I asked my vet’s advice and he said he would vaccinate anything that hasn’t been done in the last four months. I did 50 horses that night.

“We’ve got 20 odd entered on Saturday and I think we’ll run everything. It is what it is and I’ve just got lucky I suppose.”