Jamie Stier, Director of Raceday Operations and Regulation for the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), said:

“The BHA has today informed Godolphin, the owners of the horses in question, that the 15 horses known to have been administered with either Ethylestranol or Stanozolol have been suspended from running in races for a period of six months, with effect from Tuesday 9th April 2013.

“The length of suspension reflects the period beyond which the BHA is confident that the horses in question can have derived no performance related benefit from the administration of these prohibited substances.

The decision regarding the suspension was made by the BHA, not by the Disciplinary Panel who are hearing the enquiry. The enquiry started as scheduled at 2.30pm.