Pugh says Covid-19 measures effective as Crosse housemate Sheehy tests positive

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board's chief medical officer Dr Jennifer Pugh said on Saturday it was reassuring there was no evidence of transmission of Covid-19 on racecourses following contact tracing carried out in the wake of Shane Crosse's positive test.

The IHRB revealed on Saturday morning there had been one further positive case to emerge from the contact tracing, and apprentice Mikey Sheehy, who lives with Crosse, confirmed to the Racing Post it was him. After being identified as a close contact, Sheehy was already self-isolating, as was the pair's other housemate Dylan Browne McMonagle.

All three jockeys, who work for Joseph O'Brien, will be sidelined for 14 days while they quarantine.

Pugh said all riders and other professional personnel who were on duty at Limerick on Friday and had been deemed necessary to test had returned negative.

So far, there have been 22 individuals tested following Crosse's positive case, with Sheehy's the only positive result returned.

"It is reassuring that at the moment there appears to be no evidence of transmission within the racecourse environment, which is why it is so important we continue the policy of people wearing masks and keeping two metres apart both indoors and outdoors," Pugh said.

"Shane was an asymptomatic case so the risk of transmission is probably quite low, and had he not been due to ride at Doncaster it may not have been picked up at all.

"However, by adhering strictly to the public health guidelines, we are reducing the risk of further infections occurring. Having taken advice from the public health experts, we have been able to go in and proactively get all his close contacts tested ourselves sooner than might otherwise be the case, so we are fortunate to be able to do that."

Sheehy had been booked to ride Arthurian Fame in the Petingo Handicap at Leopardstown, and Trevor Whelan will deputise. Browne McMonagle will be replaced by William Buick on Winner Takes Itall in the same race, while Nathan Crosse replaces him aboard Sirjack Thomas in the Sovereign Path Handicap.

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