After top international trainers Aidan and Joseph O'Brien were forced to scratch horses from Sunday's races due to concerns about possible feed contamination, news broke Monday that Australian authorities are testing O'Brien horses based there.
Racing Post reported that top Caulfield Cup hopeful Anthony Van Dyck and Melbourne Cup contender Tiger Moth just arrived in Australia to prepare for those races.
The O'Brien horses are fed products made by Gain Equine Nutrition, which warned customers that some batches of some of its products may have been contaminated with zilpaterol. Zilpaterol is not permitted in Europe but is commonly used in the States by cattle farmers to add weight to cows. It is a beta agonist and therefore could have anabolic-like side effects.
A French lab detected zilpaterol in urine samples taken from O'Brien horses after the company's warning.
“Racing Victoria (RV) can advise that its integrity services team are liaising with Irish trainers Aidan and Joseph O'Brien regarding the circumstances that led to the stable scratching runners in France and Ireland across the weekend due to concerns regarding the alleged contamination of horse feed that it utilizes.
“Reports from both trainers and international racing authorities are that feed used by both stables has been found in Europe to be contaminated with the prohibited substance Zilpaterol.
“Following discussions with the O'Brien stables, RV stewards have today conducted out of competition testing on their horses at Werribee to determine whether Zilpaterol is currently in any of the horse's systems. The results of these tests may take up to one week.
“Furthermore, both stables have confirmed to RV stewards today that they have ceased using feed from the provider in question.”
Learn more about feed contamination in this 2015 Paulick Report feature.
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