Godolphin caught out.

[Caledonia]

http://www.racingpost.com/news/live.sd?event_id=1054047

So wrong, and so bad for racing. I hope they throw the book at the whole operation not just the fall guy.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I never liked Al Zarooni or Barcelona! The young pretenders to Bin Suroor and Dettori. I hope they throw the book at him!

 

[AdorableAlice]

Where there is money.................

 

[gadetra]

Disgraceful. So bad for racing. Has done real damage to the sport. Although I don't know if it is a medication withdrawl/contaminated situation (excuse?) anabolic steroids are hardly medicinal. Get rid and ban immediately if not sooner. It can't be allowed to continue.

 

[Clodagh]

That is appalling. It seems the Arab horse world generally thinks of drugs as a plus and a necessity, looking at their endurance drugs results. Appalling. I hope they really cop it. The sheikh had no idea!? Yeah, right.

 

[Caledonia]

Apparently 10 out of 45 have tested positve according to this tweet:

BBC sport - Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni’s yard found to have 10 of 45 horses tested come up positive for anabolic steroids, says BHA

I assume this wasn't random testing, so the suggestion is it's common practice.

It's so bad for young horses - shame on them. Very glad their horrible practices are finally being looked into.

 

[Alec Swan]

Currently, I suppose that it will only be speculation, but I wonder just how far the probe will reach. It's highly unlikely that it was the trainer who actually administered the drug, so are the staff also complicit? Are the owners, though obviously "appalled" (sic ), also to take a share of the responsibility? And if they do, then perhaps Trainers may be a little more circumspect, in the future, and their owners a little less generous with their instructions!

Alec.

 

[Caledonia]

I think it will have been Al Zarooni. It's known to be forbidden, so he wouldn't have staff doing it, especially as a new trainer.

But you are absolutely right, Alec. He wouldn't have done it unsupported from above. Casts a pall on their recent winners too.

He's failed to pick up on the phrase ""What goes on in xxxx (Dubai), stays in xxxx and all that ......

 

[Sportznight]

He's failed to pick up on the phrase ""What goes on in xxxx (Dubai), stays in xxxx and all that ......

 

[Clodagh]

So am I very naive and is it standard practice? The thought of Frankel being pumped up to the eyeballs is tragic!

 

[FinalFurlong]

No it isn't standard practice and I'd be the first one to defend a wide population of trainers.

However, there are dodgy goings ons in most sports, drugging happens in endurance, dressage, SJ etc and it has to be stopped it is simply unacceptable.

I am one of the biggest racing fans ever and I am appalled at this, I have never been a fan of the Godolphin clan myself nor Al Zarooni.

It's just despicable how he can do this to a sport who already has enough pressure from the outsiders. This may be stereotypical/assuming things but ive never pictured Al Zarooni as a trainer to get up to feed his horses/care much about each individual.

I'm disgusted. People like that should not be allowed to hold a license and I damn well hope he is banned.

 

[JackAT]

What really gets me is the bit where he says that he was under the impression that it was completely within the rules to pump up horses with steroids whilst they are training, as long as it isn't when they are racing!!

What kind of trainer doesn't know the rulebook inside out?!?!

Can you imagine if Lancaster gave all of the England rugby team some steroids and said "ooh, sorry, didn't know you couldn't do it for training! I'll be better next time"

Sounds like he's trying to justify it and paint a picture of innocence. That is infuriating.

 

[FinalFurlong]

What really gets me is the bit where he says that he was under the impression that it was completely within the rules to pump up horses with steroids whilst they are training, as long as it isn't when they are racing!!

What kind of trainer doesn't know the rulebook inside out?!?!

This!!!!! Its not even like it was a minor thing he wasn't aware of, it was one of the most major rules in the book!!!

 

[Caledonia]

So am I very naive and is it standard practice? The thought of Frankel being pumped up to the eyeballs is tragic!

Sorry if my comment misled you - it's not standard practice across the industry, but given other reported Godawful 'methods' I'm not remotely surprised.

Disgusting operation.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

It's very hard to get away with drugging in this country due to the routine drugs testing at the races. All well beaten favourites are tested, all bigger priced winners or places are tested, and most winners are tested regardless.

 

[Clodagh]

Thank good enss for that. I hope he gets a lifetime ban. What happens to people who have put ante post bets on Certify, for instance? Will you get a refund?

 

[Caledonia]

I think they've lost their money, unless the bookies/exchanges make special circumstances. But I doubt it.

 

[Alec Swan]

It's very hard to get away with drugging in this country due to the routine drugs testing at the races. All well beaten favourites are tested, all bigger priced winners or places are tested, and most winners are tested regardless.

So, with such monitoring, and then reading from the quote from the BHA (below), was it a simple case of arrogance or are illegal drugs used during training, with the hope that the residues are gone by the time that race day arrives? To deny an understanding of the rules, is adding insult to injury.

"A BHA statement revealed that a total of 11 horses including Certify have been suspended from running as the result of a 'testing in training' sampling programme conducted. A total of 45 horses were tested on April 9 during a random visit that the BHA said arose from two positive tests on Al Zarooni horses in the previous 12 months".


Two positive tests, from one yard in the last 12 months? Would the quickest route for the message to get through, not have been that the BHA take action after the first positive test?

How TF does this system work? Two strikes and your out? Perhaps someone should point out to the BHA, the JC and any other party with authority, that this isn't a game of rounders.

Phipps was right, the JC are spineless, as are the BHA it seems.

I wonder if Zarooni's signed on yet, it wouldn't surprise me.

Alec.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Of course banned substances are used in training - bute, sedation, certain steroids injected into joints for lubrication et al but they are controlled and trainers make sure the substance is well out of the system before the horse races. All such things are noted down in a medication book so should the BHA do a random spot check and blood test the whole yard they can see why and when the drugs entered the system and will make sure no race entries can be made for the horse within the withdrawal period.

Very rarely do trainers use anabolic steroids due their long, long withdrawal period and there is no real veterinary reason for my their use. So why risk it?

 

[JanetGeorge]

Very rarely do trainers use anabolic steroids due their long, long withdrawal period and there is no real veterinary reason for my their use. So why risk it?

They had just started using steroids when I was involved in racing (mid-'70s). They weren't picked up on routine tests - and of course a LOT less testing was done then. My then boss (who was a TOP trainer of 2 year olds) resisted it for quite a while - until he had a very promising filly that went off her feed as fast as she came into serious work. But some trainers had everything in their yard on them! I got out of racing - so not sure of when the testing became more common - or successful. But they were VERY useful in terms of getting an enhanced performance - particularly from 'sensitive' fillies!

 

[amandap]

Oh what a surprize! A very rich yard that could afford the best in nutrition, exercize regime research even horses etc. and they still have to cheat and more importantly, put horses at risk. Very depressing but sadly as has been said "where there is money" but also where there is ego and cultural status...

I balk at the thought many of the drugs, legal and illegal, used to get horses to perform myself. If a horse needs joint medication and pain killers should it even be in hard training? I've no idea how valid the warnings pre London marathon about pain killers affecting heart and body systems under stress of the run are but surely the same applies to horses.

 

[Caledonia]

Very rarely do trainers use anabolic steroids due their long, long withdrawal period and there is no real veterinary reason for my their use. So why risk it?

I'd agree on that in jumps racing, but not flat.

Looking at some of the 2yo at the breeze-up sales, there's no way they look like that on work alone.

I don't have a problem with keeping horses legally medicated if it keeps them happy and active. But that's not the same as using forbidden steroids to bulk up/keep in training.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Am I right in assuming the trainer, who is a private trainer, would have a 'private veterinary surgeon' in the yard.

After all, these drugs are hardly purchased from Countrywide Farmers are they.

I cannot imagine the local equine vets being involved in this type of yard, the trainer has sourced the drugs from somewhere and I would think several people are involved and diving for cover at the moment.

No doubt the whole sordid story will be uncovered shortly.

 

[claracanter]

Sheik Mohammed prides himself on being very hands on with all the Godolphin horses, doesn't he? I bet he will try and distance himself now.

 

[mon]

Great worry for all involved at their Newmarket premises, they must employ loads and if they pull out of them what happens?

 

[angrovestud]

A friend of my hubby use to fly the royals from Saudi in there jet to shop in London they have so many ways of getting stuff in like that!

 

[Centauress]

Sheik Mohammed prides himself on being very hands on with all the Godolphin horses, doesn't he?

He Must have Know it was Going On....

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Godolphin have their own vets onsite. Its would be easy to hide it from your stable staff - just go round with the vet when everyone has gone home. Thats what JHJ did!

 

[zaminda]

Haven't bans been imposed on the owner in endurance before? No way did he not know exactly what was going on. From the horses that I saw come over from Dubai having wintered over there, I would think it is common practice. The staff tend to have very long lunch breaks, and a lot of the ground staff are foreign, and are only over here to work there so they would keep there mouths shut. This leaves plenty of scope for all sorts of things to happen while the yard is relatively empty.

 

[Caledonia]

Yep, one of the Shakey Mo's horses (ridden by his son, possibly - not totally sure on that one) got 'withdrawn' at an overnight stage in a big endurance event before the comp vets dope tested it. Presumably because their own labs had realised it would fail.

Refreshing, really, that the President of the FEI is married to someone with two recent major doping incidents clouding his name.