The Hendra virus continues to have everyone in the racing industry from Queensland and New South Wales on high alert.

Already eight horses have died from the virus.

Racing NSW officials have written to all trainers in the Randwick precinct to take all reasonable and permissible measures to avoid the virus spreading through the area.

The concern is that the virus, which is spread through the flying fox, may spread to Randwick as it is near Centennial Park, which contains a huge population of bats and flying foxes.

Officials from all jurisdictions are doing their best to contain the outbreak and let's all cross our fingers that we've seen the worst of it.

Thankfully, it isn't as easily spread as the dreaded Equine Influenza virus which bought the industry in NSW and Qld to its knees in 2007.

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THE Australian Turf Club has launched its new membership strategy.

The ‘One Club, One Vision' Foundation Membership will give its members access to all four Sydney tracks.

Current members will also be able to take up the opportunity to become an ATC Foundation member and enjoy an expanded 17-month membership during the launch year.

ATC Chairman John Cornish said the program is aimed at unifying members into the one club and substantially improving the existing member benefits to grow Sydney racing.

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IT was interesting to note that the Australian Racing Board and Australian Bookmakers Association announced earlier this week that there would be a new way of calculating deductions for NSW, the Northern Territory, Queensland and Victoria.

From August 1, the new method of calculating deductions will enable the re-framing of markets to achieve the pre-withdrawal market percentage.

Prior to this change, deductions were the same for regardless of the sum percentage of the bookmakers' market at the time of the withdrawal; deductions were the same regardless of the price of the winner; place deductions were the same regardless of the odds of the placegetters.

While it may seem a complicated formula for some to work out when you first take a look, it is actually better for the punter and the bookmaker.

Check it out at the Australian Racing Board's website.

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TAB Sportsbet have thrown their substantial weight behind the Cranbourne Racing Club.

Through the generous support of TAB Sportsbet, any horse that does the Cranbourne Cup-Caulfield Cup double will win their connections a $2million bonus.

This is a great initiative, with the bonus doubled for the first time this year. Praise must be delivered not only to TAB Sportsbet, but the foresight of the Cranbourne Club with this bonus sure to get trainers and owners excited about the Club's signature race.

It is likely to ensure that the quality of the Cranbourne Cup this year will be of a very high standard and will get people talking should the winner heading into the Caulfield Cup as a serious contender.