Top Irish trainer facing drugs charges

The use of steroids is wrong, wrong, wrong, but in terms of incompetence, in allowing Simon Crisford to sit at the top table at the press conference announcing Al Zarooni's ban the BHA has set the bar pretty high.
 
LI was tested after winning at Leopardstown -surely the results will be known before Cheltenham.Do the BHA really want to go down the road of testing horses before they race-would they want to do it with Australian or Hong Kong trained sprinters at Royal Ascot.
 
All well and good testing the horse when it's over - that's not when any drugs are likely to have been given and I doubt PF is daft enough to inject in a time frame when the horse is likely to be tested.

Turf Club aren't brilliant in this but it's a legal matter not a racing one as things stand and sure they'll act in due course.

Most interesting points are BTB's regarding top athletes returning to their peak after seemingly career ending injuries.

Martin
 
Come on grass. How quick are these out of the system?
Didnt someone say 3 days? You can see this is bang to rights do how can we be comfortable with this horse running? In the end there is a chance its unfair but thats life. The sport camnot be seen to be hand wringing over this
 
chroniclandlord said:
The use of steroids is wrong, wrong, wrong, but in terms of incompetence, in allowing Simon Crisford to sit at the top table at the press conference announcing Al Zarooni's ban the BHA has set the bar pretty high.
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I think its pretty clear that racing authorities in both countries have been found to be inept. I have some sympathy; dealing with doping is a very expensive business and racing authorities are hardly swimming in money these day, and it is potentially an impossible issue for them given they generally have little or no power over the actions of breeders and vets, or indeed what happens to horses who are "out of training" (David Walsh nailed this issue this morning). But the actions we've seen taken with the MAZ case, the Gerard Butler case and now the Fenton case shows that they seem to have trouble getting the fundamentals right.

I also think its hilarious that so much fuss is being made about Last Instalment running in the Gold Cup when the current favourite for the Gold Cup is trained by a convicted doper who, since being convicted, has broken all sorts of records at the Festival. What, *now* we're worried about the Festival being diminished by the stink of doping?
 
The authorities must deal with the here and now and thats that frankly. Most think that some have got of lightly before but they have to get a grip from now

Far too much whatabouteries on this thread. Pointless

it may be tough on fenton but if li runs all the talk around the gc will be around the found steroid and what it us used for. Racing cannot have that
 
From ATR

Officials from the British Horseracing Authority are to visit the yard of Philip Fenton in order to interview the trainer and conduct tests on horses in his care holding Cheltenham Festival entries.

Fenton has been in the headlines in recent days after being charged with possessing unlicensed substances, including anabolic steroids, following a visit to his yard by the Department of Agriculture in January 2012, with a court case adjourned until next month.

His horses on track for Cheltenham include former Champion Bumper winner Dunguib and Irish Hennessy hero Last Instalment, who is third-favourite for the Betfred Gold Cup.

The BHA said that following consultation with the Irish Turf Club, it had been agreed that samples from Fenton's horses will be collected by the BHA and fast-track testing will take place at HFL Sport Science, Newmarket, with the results of the tests available next week.

A statement from the BHA added that in addition to the sampling, Fenton will be interviewed and that the visit will form part of an ongoing process of gathering all relevant information regarding this issue.

BHA chief executive Paul Bittar said: "Following the adjournment of the court case, we want to take steps which serve to uphold public confidence in the relevant races at the Cheltenham Festival, and the sport in general. The testing of the Fenton-trained horses will form a part of the decision making process as to how best to achieve this objective.

"Any development or set of circumstances which brings the integrity of our sport into question is of considerable concern. The events of 2013 highlighted the need to increase the deterrent against the misuse of drugs and medication, and in particular anabolic steroids. Since then significant steps have been taken towards achieving a set of international minimum standards, with a number of jurisdictions adopting a zero-tolerance policy regarding the use of steroids in racing.

"Meanwhile in Britain we have announced a doubling in the scale of our testing-in-training programme and we are looking forward to publishing in the spring the findings of a report commissioned to establish standards in Britain which exceed the minimum international standard.

"Although the inspection at Philip Fenton's yard took place in Ireland over two years ago, and therefore before recent upgrades in deterrents in this country, there is no room for complacency. We consider it incumbent upon all involved with British and Irish racing, not just the authorities, to demonstrate their opposition to the misuse of drugs and medication, in particular anabolic steroids, and be open and transparent about all practices."

Last Instalment is owned by Gigginstown House Stud, whose supremo Michael O'Leary reiterated on Sunday that he would be happy to subject his horses to BHA testing, should it be required.
 
Would add to this that to the best of my knowledge the only failed drugs test found by the Turf Club in 2013 was on a non-rules racehorse.

Martin
 
Eddie O'Leary

"We wrote to the BHA today to ask them to come and test Philip's horses, so it is what we wanted."
 
This situation is a horrid mess, drug testing now is irrelevant. The horse was tested at Leopardstown, and in any case the real risk period was well before the horse made it back to the track. The BHA can interview Fenton, but the events referred to took place two years ago, which makes it very difficult to draw any conclusions about what to do in the here and now.

It doesn't help in the least that Fenton's case has taken so long to come to court and the secrecy surrounding the whole affair can't be excused. Had it been public knowledge at the time, Fenton would have to have been suspended by the Turf Club until his case was dealt with. Being obliged to do it now that it has become public knowledge looks weak, and being obliged to do it because the BHA don't want to let his horses run in England will look even weaker. But if they don't do it, they'll look weaker again.

And then there is the small matter of the other names on the John Hughes list. The Irish Turf Club has a major crisis on their hands but they are in hiding.
 
Barry Connell did the right thing, I wish O'Leary would follow suit.

The racing authorities are in a hole and need rescuing, the moral force to deal with this will have to come from elsewhere.
 
I thought that was top clas by oconnell. Must have been heartbreaking for him but didn't hesitate. Not many owners would have been so classy
 
Grey said:
Barry Connell did the right thing, I wish O'Leary would follow suit.

The racing authorities are in a hole and need rescuing, the moral force to deal with this will have to come from elsewhere.
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His actions however well intentioned or otherwise have really poured the heat on Gigginstown....rumour has it that TTT was OTT anyway...his bumper horse will be the better for missing the race anyway
 
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