Zarooni

[Tanlic]

Thanks, DG. Paragraphs 3.9 and 3.12 are quite startling, to say the least:





In my naivety I had thought all racing jurisdictions banned the use of steroids other than in exceptional circumstances. I was obviously wrong.

The vet says it is generally thought the advantages from taking steroids can last for up to six months, in which case testing on the day of competition is relatively meaningless. It might be a better use of resources to test only a random proportion of winners and do more stable visits instead.

But what's the procedure before the BHA can walk into a yard and start testing? When Martin Pipe was suspected of blood doping it was over a year between the time I first heard about it and the BHA made a move.

When Nicky Henderson was banned for using a blood clotting agent dozens of trainers said they used the same thing but the BHA never followed it up.....probably because everyone stopped using it when NH got pulled over and by the time the BHA got to the next guy all evidence would be gone.

I'm guessing but surely like the police they can't come barging in and search your premises without due cause.

 

[Harbinger]

I presume Sheikh Mohammed has control of Dubai racing.
It is surely in his best interest to ban use of steroids out of training there if his international stance on clean racing is to be taken seriously, or am I being over simplistic?

This was put to Simon Crisford in the press conference at the BHA last week. His answer: "That's not for him to do. Dubai [racing] is run by the Emirates Racing Authority and it's entirely up to that authority and Sheikh Mohammed has absolutely nothing to do with that whatsoever."

 

[Grey]

I'm guessing but surely like the police they can't come barging in and search your premises without due cause.

Surely they can. When you apply for a licence one of the conditions, presumably, is that you give your consent to being inspected without advance notice.

 

[jinnyj]

You usually have a pre-arranged visit every couple of years when they will go through everything such as your medical book, Health & Safety procedures, accident book etc. If there is anything they aren't happy with, you will be told and told to expect another visit. Invariably this comes to nothing and then they then pitch up again on another pre-arranged visit. However if you have had any positive drug tests that season then you can expect a dawn raid whenever they feel like it with no warning whatsoever.

 

[Grey]

Thanks, jj.

You'd need to be stupid to be caught by the routine tests on winners, so it seems to me they could get away with doing fewer of those kinds of tests and go instead for more unannounced out-of-competition checks, selected partly on risk criteria and partly at random.

 

[Diamond Geezer]

No idea what the procedure for a test is and how long it takes on the day , but with a mechanism in place to analyse samples within a relatively quick time span ( five days, one week, a fortnight ?) would it be practical to test every winner at every course before they leave for home ?

 

[Bar the Bull]

Cyclists often say that doping tests are essentially an IQ test, as they are so easy to pass if you follow a few guidelines.

I don't see why horse racing is any different.

 

[Flagship uberalles]

Cyclists often say that doping tests are essentially an IQ test, as they are so easy to pass if you follow a few guidelines.

I don't see why horse racing is any different.

It is different, Barry - it's easier to get away with and the patients won't get an attack of conscience and confess to doping :blink:

 

[trudij]

No idea what the procedure for a test is and how long it takes on the day , but with a mechanism in place to analyse samples within a relatively quick time span ( five days, one week, a fortnight ?) would it be practical to test every winner at every course before they leave for home ?

They do test them (if not every horse any more, its certainally the majority of them) - and the beaten favourites, and they pull in the odd random horse throughout the day as well. (well they did when I was last working, and I had many conversations with various people since while they were up at the dope box)

They also do random blood testing of the horses down at the stables - one of the times I was at Warwick they were doing it, took samples from every runner when they arrived.

They dont seem to test pointers though - silly IMO, they should.

 

[jinnyj]

They have started to random test pointers. The BHA vet has been lurking quietly around the horsebox park in the last few seasons, sucking blood from a few. Think we got tested at Bonvilston. He was there at Kingston St Mary a few weeks ago.

 

[trudij]

Oh that's new - and about bloody time! I'd merrily hand some names over that would be worth a random check....

 

[JamesRB]

THE BHA drug testers on Thursday turned their attention to Saeed Bin Suroor's Stanley House stables in Newmarket as the crisis that has rocked Godolphin and British racing took an unexpected new twist.

The sampling of horses at disgraced former trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni's stable at Moulton Paddocks has been completed, but while the results are not expected for several weeks, interviews with his staff are continuing.

Bin Suroor's yard was not visited by testers in the wake of 11 of Al Zarooni's string testing positive for anabolic steroids on April 9, and there were no official suggestions they would be.

However, Gerard Butler fuelled the scandal with his admission this week he had administered steroids, and his stable became the focus of a separate investigation with the potential to embroil a number of other Newmarket yards.

The regulatory body confirmed on Thursday it had extended the testing programme to the entire Godolphin operation.

BHA spokesman, Robin Mounsey, said on Thursday night: "We can confirm that, for the sake of completeness, we are conducting testing in training at the yard of Saeed Bin Suroor, although there was no reason to link the two yards because of the common ownership by Godolphin."

fair to say things could go nuclear if this bout of testing turns up anything untoward

 

[edgt]

I bet the Sheikh is delighted Dawn Approach stayed at Coolcullen; it might be the start of leaving horses where they are from now on, especially any purchases.

I bet the Sheikh is even more delighted now!

 

[chroniclandlord]

Saaed bin Suroor to take control of Moulton Stables until a long term appointment is made.

 

[Ardross]

Saaed bin Suroor to take control of Moulton Stables until a long term appointment is made.

BHA have refused to grant him a licence to do so until all the tests on Godolphin horses are complete.

 

[Simon]

Any thoughts on who the long term candidates could be?

 

[Aragorn]

Botti?

 

[davidjohnson]

I'd have thought they would want another in house candidate brought in from Dubai than an outsider.

 

[Bar the Bull]

Butler would seem to have the right credentials.

 

[Diamond Geezer]

Any thoughts on who the long term candidates could be?

Frankie

 

[jinnyj]

I'd imagine they will opt for another from Dubai - Izmail Mohammed?

 

[Sheikh]

given the success the Arabs have had with the horses they leave with their original trainers isn't it time they went back to that model.they can keep control of the racing plans and silks (branding) etc and the stallions could feed directly into godolphin

 

[BennyB]

given the success the Arabs have had with the horses they leave with their original trainers isn't it time they went back to that model.they can keep control of the racing plans and silks (branding) etc and the stallions could feed directly into godolphin

How would they administer the drugs?

 

[prince regent]

Dhahi Khalfan Tamim must be on the short list he does at least have a connection with sin bin suroor

 

[chroniclandlord]

Butler would seem to have the right credentials.

:lol: