BENGALURU
Racing in Bengaluru and Mysuru has been thrown into crisis after five horses at the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) reportedly tested positive for the highly contagious and potentially fatal Glanders disease, raising the possibility of the entire Winter Season being cancelled. The outbreak, which has already crippled racing in Hyderabad and Chennai, first emerged a month ago when 15 horses succumbed to the infection, prompting concern among Karnataka turf authorities.
Those fears intensified last week when several BTC horses began showing symptoms such as fever and coughing. Samples were immediately sent to the Government Veterinary Hospital in Hebbal, and sources confirmed that five have tested positive. As mandated by Central government norms, the B samples will now be sent to the National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE) in Hisar — South Asia’s only authorised facility for Glanders confirmation. The results, expected in a few days, will be decisive for the season’s fate.
BTC chairman L. Shivashankar declined to comment on the preliminary findings, saying the club would wait for NRCE’s official report before taking further action. However, insiders familiar with such outbreaks fear the worst, noting that preliminary assessments rarely differ from NRCE’s final confirmation.
If even one horse is confirmed positive, the entire stable must be sealed off. All 750 horses in the BTC complex would require repeated testing every 21 days, with three consecutive negative cycles needed before racing can resume — a lengthy and expensive process. The implications extend beyond Bengaluru: horses will be unable to travel, jeopardising participation in marquee events like the Indian Derby in February and the Invitation Cup in March.
Adding to the concern, two horses in Mysuru have also tested positive, raising fears of a wider regional shutdown. With the disease spreading across major centres, stakeholders now brace for an unprecedented disruption to India’s racing calendar.
