British racing is proud of its reputation as a safe, clean and fair horseracing jurisdiction.

One of the ways the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) maintains the integrity and fairness of our sport is by ensuring horses are free from the effects of any substance or method that may give them an unfair competitive advantage or compromise their welfare.

The BHA’s Equine Anti-Doping Programme is designed to support trainers to comply with the Rules of Racing and ensure horses are competing on a level playing field.

Our comprehensive testing programme involves both race-day and out-of-competition testing on hair, blood and urine samples. It is a risk-based approach that combines targeted, intelligence led and random sampling. More than 11,000 samples are carried out each year and sent to the BHA’s contract laboratory, LGC, for analysis.

The aim of testing is to detect prohibited substances that are either banned at any time, or therapeutic substances required for the proper care of the horse but that should not be present during racing.

If a horse has received therapeutic medication that is prohibited on raceday, it is the responsibility of the trainer to ensure the horse is clear of that medication in their system by the time of their intended race.

This blog provides information around the use of medication for racehorses – particularly the difference between detection times, withdrawal periods and stand down periods – to help ensure horses are not arriving on racecourses with a prohibited substance in their system.

Detection times

A detection time is the standard period of time it takes for a drug that has been administered to a horse to fall below an internationally agreed limit and where the drug is no longer considered to have a meaningful effect.

Detection times are developed from administration studies in controlled environments in which horses are as close as possible to an ‘in training’ situation, so that the information is as accurate as possible.

We publish guidance regarding detection times for a range of therapeutic medications that are specific to the substance, preparation, route of administration and dosage. A detection time is not the same as a recommended withdrawal time.

Withdrawal times

A withdrawal time is a detection time with an adequate safety margin added on. The treating vet should use their knowledge to make an assessment of how long they think it will take for a substance to take effect and pass through a horse.

Generally, it is advised that a suitable withdrawal time can be calculated by multiplying the detection time by 1.5 to 2 times. However, this is dependent not only on the substance itself but also a variety of factors individual to the horse and condition being treated.

It is not an exact science, and it is important that trainers seek the advice and knowledge of the vet providing the treatment to ensure a horse does not return to racing too soon and risk testing positive for a prohibited substance.

Horse and groom enter a sampling unit post race

Stand-down periods

A stand-down period is a minimum mandatory period that a trainer is not allowed to run a horse after it has been administered certain substances or by a particular route of administration for example intra-articular (joint) injections. A stand-down period is not a detection time and it is important to emphasise that the substance may not necessarily be cleared from a horse’s system after the mandatory period has concluded. Each horse can react very differently depending on the individual circumstances.

Using intra-articular administration of corticosteroids as an example (which require a 14-day mandatory stand down period), there is considerable variation in excretion times and a variety of factors can have an impact on the elimination of the drug from the horse’s system including:

• The type of corticosteroid administered
• Site of administration (i.e. which joint/s have been injected)
• Level of dosage
• Injection technique
• Administration of additional medications
• Disease status of the joint

As with the withdrawal period assessment required before a horse returns to race after receiving medication, it is not a one-size-fits-all approach when horses are treated, and therefore trainers and their vets should ensure the various factors surrounding the administration of a substance are considered before entering a horse to race.

What can trainers do if they are unsure about whether a substance has cleared a horse’s system?

It is the responsibility of the trainer to ensure no prohibited substance is present in a horse’s system on a raceday, and trainers who want to establish whether a substance has cleared their horse may be able to utilise BHA elective testing at their own cost.

Once a horse holds an entry for a race, trainers can contact the BHA’s Anti-Doping department to request a test to see if a particular therapeutic substance is still in their horse’s system. Results can be provided within either two or four days from submission of a urine sample.

What happens if a horse tests positive for a banned substance?

If a prohibited substance is detected in a sample taken on a racecourse, the trainer and owner of the horse are notified by BHA and an investigation will be carried out to determine the circumstances of how the horse returned a positive sample.

The trainer, who is responsible for any rule breaches following a positive sample, will not receive a sanction if they are able to establish how a prohibited substance entered their horse’s body and that they had taken all reasonable precautions to avoid a breach of the rules. If not, the matter will be referred to the independent Disciplinary Panel to establish an appropriate penalty. The horse will, in all cases, be disqualified from the race.

Where can trainers find medication control and anti-doping information?

The BHA is here to assist trainers with advice and information regarding equine medication control and anti-doping, and a detailed guidance document designed to provide further assistance in this area has recently been issued to trainers.

We are all committed to ensuring that the horses involved in British racing are free of any prohibited substances, and the BHA’s Equine Medication Control and Anti-Doping team is available to help with any questions or concerns.

Further information can be found here and the Equine Medication Control and Anti-Doping team can be contacted on [email protected].