Mildura racing vet outlines heat measures

AN on-course veterinarian at this week’s Mildura Harness Racing Club’s meeting has moved to allay concerns about the welfare of horses due to extreme heat.

The club pushed back the start time for the first race to 7.30pm when the temper­ature was still 41.6C and the mercury failed to drop below 35C until well into the eight-race meeting.

Mildura GP Gerald Murphy described a decision to proceed with the meeting on Tuesday – which recorded a maximum daytime temperature of 45.8C – as “totally ­unacceptable”.

By Allan Murphy

Reprinted with permission of The Sunraysia Daily