Attempts to salvage the 2007 thoroughbred breeding season have received a boost with news a partial lifting of the ban on horse movements in the Hunter Valley could be a reality as early as next week.

Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) president John Messara met with NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of creating a "purple zone" around the state's breeding heartland.

This would allow broodmares from some breeding farms to travel to other studs where they would then be covered by a resident stallion.

The walk-on mares would be required to remain in the purple zone until movement restrictions currently in place due to the equine influenza (EI) outbreak were lifted.

Mr Macdonald gave in principle agreement to the zoning plan which the TBA hopes will be implemented sometime in the next seven days.

Mr Messara warned there were still several issues that needed to be worked through but hoped the final plan would be presented for approval on Monday.

Independent research showed the NSW breeding industry stood to lose a conservative $823 million if this year's mating season was cancelled due to the EI crisis.

Meanwhile, Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys travelled to Canberra for a four-hour meeting with Federal Agricultural Minister Peter McGauran to discuss a range of issues.

Among them were the details of the federal government's $110 million EI assistance package and vaccination, which has been called for by Mr Messara and several Sydney trainers including John O'Shea.

Mr V'Landys said the meeting was positive and praised Mr McGauran for his efforts to help the racing industry crippled by the EI crisis.

"I met with Peter McGauran on a number of issues including the possibility of vaccination," Mr V'Landys said.

"The Minister is keeping an open mind on vaccination and we want to keep it on the table. It may be a necessary action we have to take sooner or later.

"We were also negotiating the details of the ($110 million) financial package. There were still some areas we needed to finalise in relation to the horse payments.

"We wanted to make sure people racing horses at the closed meetings were not disadvantaged.

"The Minister is very flexible and he's a great asset because he understands the racing industry, he knows where we're coming from and he's trying to help us as much as possible."

Mr V'Landys said he expected to hear back from Mr McGauran on Thursday following consultation with Prime Minister John Howard.

The NSW branch of the Equestrian Federation of Australia also met with Department of Primary Industries (DPI) officials in Sydney on Wednesday to develop a plan for those in the pleasure horse industry affected by EI.

Sport and leisure horse industry participants who attended the meeting said they were fed-up after being left in the dark for two weeks over information concerning the EI crisis.

They produced an action plan that called for increased assistance from the NSW Government for those affected by the state-wide horse lock down; increased federal and state assistance for the non-professional equestrian sector; improved communications systems; and the inclusion of the sport and leisure horse industry in disaster mitigation strategies.

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