Racing in NSW remains at a standstill while the rest of the country prepares to get the multi billion dollar industry up and running again following an outbreak of equine influenza (EI).

No racehorses have tested positive to EI despite the outbreak affecting more than 400 pleasure horses, which halted all equine movements around Australia.

In Sydney trainers were on high alert when four horses from two different stables at Randwick were found to have elevated temperatures and the track was locked down.

Fears diminished when tests came back negative, but racing in NSW will not recommence until at least next Monday.

But racing in Melbourne is set to resume at Caulfield this weekend, with authorities in Victoria saying no cases of EI have been detected in the state, leaving the way clear to ease the lockdown which has been in place since Saturday.

Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) chairman Graham Duff said permits would now be sought to allow horses to leave their stables and resume training while the Queensland government will lift restrictions on trackwork from midday on Tuesday.

"All horses that have been brought into Victoria over the last 14 days have been tested and there's no evidence of any of this virus being present," Duff said.

"Victoria still has no incidence of the equine influenza epidemic that is evident in NSW."

The Melbourne spring carnival is the biggest in the country and there were fears Australia's iconic race, the Melbourne Cup might have to be moved.

The international participation is still in doubt, with Japanese favourite Pop Rock and last year's winner Delta Blues already ruled out, while it remains to be seen how the preparations of horses from NSW and Queensland will suffer.

The economic impact is already in the tens of millions of dollars after three days without racing, although events in Queensland and South Australia are expected to resume along with Victoria this weekend.

The racing industry depends on income from Tabcorp wagering to exist and around $40 to $50 million has been lost over the past three days, with more to be lost if Queensland and NSW races are cancelled.

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys said the negative tests on the Randwick horses were a relief but caution should still be exercised.

"It is good news but it is just the first hurdle," V'Landys said.

"The good news is that the four horses tested don't have equine influenza or the symptoms.

"We hope it stays that way. It could have been a disaster.

"So far no racehorses have tested positive but a lot of areas will remain locked down until this burns itself out."

V'Landys said it was essential the protocols put in place by the Department of Primary Industries continued to be followed over the next few days to ensure no racehorses were affected.

Several racehorses have been transported to Victoria in the past couple of weeks while many recreational horses have also crossed borders.

The first confirmed case of EI in Australia was detected at Sydney's Eastern Creek quarantine station last Thursday in a stallion which had travelled from the northern hemisphere.

On Friday several horses at Centennial Park tested positive and many horses at the complex were believed to have the virus but were on the mend.

Horses from Centennial Park visited a show at Maitland over the weekend of August 18 and 19 and the virus was then transported to other areas including Warwick in south east Queensland where a World Cup qualifying event was being held.

A 10 kilometre exclusion zone around Centennial Park encompasses nearby Randwick Racecourse where 700 horses, including many of the leading contenders for the Sydney and Melbourne spring carnivals are trained.

The Australian Jockey Club (AJC) is hoping its feature Chelmsford Stakes meeting will go ahead at Randwick next month despite racing in NSW being banned indefinitely due to the equine influenza (EI) outbreak.

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