Godolphin caught out.

EKW said:
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?
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Anabolic steroids are one of the few substances banned for UK use at any point while the horse is in training in the trainer's yard, not just at the track.
 
BigBuck's said:
Anabolic steroids are one of the few substances banned for UK use at any point while the horse is in training in the trainer's yard, not just at the track.
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Blimey. Thanks for that. Even were it permitted, you can bet that it wouldn't have featured on the individual medicines page of the passport.

Alec.
 
So Sheikh Mohammed originally dumped his English trainers as they were not respectful enough, and employed his own. For respectful, should we read 'obedient?'
 
I mentioned Frankel, only because he is the only flat horse I have ever followed so was just saying if it is standard practice I couldn't bear to think of it...have since been told it isn't.
No idea who JHJ is.
 
Echo Bravo said:
Sorry I'm confused, surely Frankel was trained by Henry Cecil, so how does he come into it and who was JHJ?
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He doesn't. The poster was querying whether steroid use was endemic and expressing concern that Frankel's success might be in some way tainted by this scandal, but there is no connection or any such suspicion whatsoever.

JHJ is Howard Johnson, trainer of Inglis Drever and Tidal Bay before the latter moved to Paul Nicholls. He was banned for four years for a number of offences, including steroid use, and subsequently announced his retirement.
 
Howard Johnson needs a thread to himself.over the things he's done over the years!

A very good point was made on twitter earlier - the BBC only ever seem to cover the downside of racing these days. Maybe racing UK should do a documentary on the Beebs sex scandals and see how they like it!
 
mon said:
Great worry for all involved at their Newmarket premises, they must employ loads and if they pull out of them what happens?
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Yes, I agree. Extremely irresponsible of the people who made the decision to administer steroids, but I guess employees matter as much as the horses do to people like that. I just don't understand why, or how they he/they felt they wouldn't be caught
 
I hope they throw the book at him.

The Americans always say they dont race over here because the prize money isnt good enough but racing and winning against the finest horses in Europe would surely increase the stud value of their horses. The real reason I believe is our doping rules, and they know they wouldnt pass muster and the subsequent fall out.

The sooner doping and medicating horses is viewed by the world as abhorrent and taken seriously by all racing authorities the better. Anyone found guilty should be warned off for life IMO.
 
skint1 said:
Yes, I agree. Extremely irresponsible of the people who made the decision to administer steroids, but I guess employees matter as much as the horses do to people like that. I just don't understand why, or how they he/they felt they wouldn't be caught
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I would say that the vast majority of their employess are bought over from Dubai, so the fall out may not effect Newmarket locals quite as badly as if they were locally emplyed. Still sad for all concerned.
 
AdorableAlice said:
I wonder if Channel 4 racing/Morning Line will have anything to say, are the programmes not sponsored by Dubai ?
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A good point. I suspect that with the owner of Godolphin distancing himself from the scandal, will allow TML to take a party line, without opinion, except that this is awful, and that the problems are being "addressed" (what ever that may mean).

I'll bet that Saturday morning's response will be a vacuous and noncommittal response. I also strongly suspect that the main influence will be around the question, "What would happen if the Middle Eastern Money were to leave British racing?".

As another poster has said, racing is inherently dishonest, and to expect otherwise will only lead to disillusion. There are those who live by the rules, I'll accept, but most will stand up against the tape.

Alec.
 
Alec Swan said:
As another poster has said, racing is inherently dishonest, and to expect otherwise will only lead to disillusion. There are those who live by the rules, I'll accept, but most will stand up against the tape.

Alec.
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On what basis? It's no more dishonest than any other sport, or equestrian pursuit. You certainly don't get trainers selling doped horses pretending they're sound, or clocking horses, or falsifying passports on a regular basis which happens in several other areas of equestrianism.
 
Alec Swan said:
As another poster has said, racing is inherently dishonest, and to expect otherwise will only lead to disillusion. There are those who live by the rules, I'll accept, but most will stand up against the tape.

Alec.
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Caledonia said:
On what basis? It's no more dishonest than any other sport, or equestrian pursuit. You certainly don't get trainers selling doped horses pretending they're sound, or clocking horses, or falsifying passports on a regular basis which happens in several other areas of equestrianism.
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Quite, and I agree with you, and I'm not singling out Horse Racing. I'm suggesting that when we sit in judgement, as we (some of us!), are now, it would be wise to bear in mind that the ethics and moral standing of the Olympian, disappeared when the professional side of sport, all sport, moved to the forefront.

If we can accept that money and greed will always influence our sports, then we may find an answer to our questions. When I was younger, and played cricket, I was asked to play in several league teams. I played for one, for one season, but the win-at-any-cost approach, took cricket to a different level, one which I didn't enjoy.

As I never gamble in racing, so I am, like many, a bystander, and whether the views of those who don't participate are of any worth, would be for those who are involved on a daily basis, to decide, I suppose.

Alec.
 
Alec Swan said:
As another poster has said, racing is inherently dishonest, and to expect otherwise will only lead to disillusion. There are those who live by the rules, I'll accept, but most will stand up against the tape.

Alec.
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Er...no it isn't actually. More accurately, there is a dishonest element in racing, as there are in all walks of life, particularly where money and sport are combined.
 
Pale Rider said:
I don't know why people are suprised, trainers are bent, owners are bent, bookmakers are bent, therefore, racing is bound to be bent.
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I take offence at that comment as an owner & breeder that is just not true!I know quiet a few owners that would be shocked at your thinking there are plenty of us that just enjoy our racing!
 
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