The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has today announced the date for a Disciplinary Panel hearing regarding the recent positive samples for morphine, and confirmed the identity of the horses and races involved.
In seven of the eight cases, involving five trainers, the circumstances are sufficiently similar for these cases to be heard together. The date for this hearing will be 25 September 2014.
It will be BHA’s position at this hearing that the source of the positive samples was a contaminated batch of feed and that the trainers took all reasonable precautions to avoid breaching the Rules of Racing. BHA will submit that no financial penalty should be imposed. However, according to the Rules of Racing, the horses involved should be disqualified from the relevant races.
In an eighth case, involving trainer Eve Johnson-Houghton, while also related to feed contamination, there are differences in the circumstances and this case will be heard by the Disciplinary Panel separately in due course.
The seven horses which have tested positive for morphine and will be considered on 25 September are as follows:
| HORSE | TRAINER | DATE | RACECOURSE | RACE | FINISHING POSITION | PRIZE MONEY EARNED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate (IRE) | Sir Michael Stoute | 19 June 2014 | Ascot | The Gold Cup (Class 1) (British Champions Series) (Group 1) | 2nd | £80,625 |
| Russian Realm | Sir Michael Stoute | 20 June 2014 | Ascot | The Buckingham Palace Stakes (Class 2 Handicap) | 9th | n/a |
| Ocean Legend (IRE) | Anthony Carroll | 24 June 2014 | Brighton | The starspreads.com England World Cup Offers Handicap Stakes (Class 5) | 1st | £2,588 |
| Royal Alcor (IRE) | Gay Kelleway | 26 June 2014 | Great Yarmouth | The Follow Us On Twitter Yarmouth Racecourse Handicap Stakes (Class 5) | 1st | £2,588 |
| Soul Intent (IRE) | Barry Hills | 3 July 2014 | Epsom Downs | The Chalk Lane Handicap Stakes (Class 5) | 1st | £3,234 |
| Jolly Red Jeanz (IRE) | Barry Hills | 12 July 2014 | Chester | The Raymond & Kathleen Corbett Memorial Handicap Stakes (Class 4) | 1st | £6,469 |
| Strath Burn (IRE) | Charlie Hills | 3 July 2014 | Newbury | The JLT Maiden Stakes (Class 4) | 1st | £4,980 |
The eighth horse, trained by Eve Johnson-Houghton and which will be considered separately is as follows:
| HORSE | TRAINER | DATE | RACECOURSE | RACE | FINISHING POSITION | PRIZE MONEY EARNED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Wells (IRE) | Eve Johnson-Houghton | 23 June 2014 | Chepstow | The 32 Red Classified Stakes (Class 5) | 1st | £2,597.60 |
Today’s announcement follows the conclusion of BHA’s investigations into the matter and the receipt of the results of the counter-analysis on the ‘B’ samples, as requested by connections of some of the horses concerned. In all cases that ‘B’ sample analyses were requested, the samples also returned positive.
BHA has worked with the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) and Dodson & Horrell throughout the course of this investigation and statements provided by those organisations during the investigation will be considered. BHA has also worked closely with the National Trainers Federation (NTF) in these matters.
While not ruling out the possibility of further positive samples of morphine being detected, there are currently no indications of any additional positive samples.
Notes to Editors
1. Morphine is an opiate known for its powerful pain relieving properties and is a Prohibited Substance on a raceday.
2. BHA will not disclose ahead of a Disciplinary hearing the reasons why one case has differing characteristics to the other seven cases.
3. BHA is not able to confirm which horses’ ‘B’ samples were tested.
4. According to Rule (C)58.1 where a sample (the ‘A’ sample) tests positive for any Prohibited Substance, the trainer or owner may request that analysis be carried out on the ‘B’ sample taken from the horse on the same occasion. As outlined in Schedule 7, if this is requested, the owner or trainer will nominate the laboratory where the ‘B’ sample will be analysed from either the same laboratory that conducted the ‘A’ sample or an accredited international laboratory.
5. According to Rule (A)74.2, BHA will disqualify a horse in relation to a race that has already been run where the horse has been the subject of an examination under Part (B)1 and a sample from the horse tests positive for a Prohibited Substance.
