Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board | Horse Racing Free Tips

New Equine Anti-Doping And Medication Control Initiative Launched By BHA And IHRB

A new equine anti-doping and medication control initiative was announced by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) on Thursday. The initiative underpins their commitment to the regulation of medicine use and zero tolerance of doping in horse racing on both sides of the Irish Sea.

The IHRB and BHA are now formally conducting joint out-of-competition-testing operations across both jurisdictions. These inspections started this week with almost 250 samples taken from more than 120 horses that are entered for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival in an operation across 14 training premises in Ireland over the last two days.

In Ireland, the organisations will work together and operate under IHRB Standard Operating Procedures, and all samples will be considered as IHRB samples. BHA protocols will be in effect when the BHA and IHRB are working together in the UK, and they will be under BHA jurisdiction. In both instances, there will be transparent exchange of any adverse results or screening findings that arise from these tests, with all samples being tested by LGC Laboratory, one of six laboratories worldwide which is recognised as a referenced laboratory by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).

Dr Lynn Hillyer, chief veterinary officer for the IHRB, said, “The IHRB Strategy 2024-2027 commits us to close engagement with international horseracing bodies and benchmarking ourselves against best international practice. This new venture shows stakeholders and the racing public that we collaborate as professionals across both sides of the Irish Sea, sharing best practice and resources and demonstrating equally stringent regulatory processes and standards to the extent that our anti-doping and medication control programmes are interoperable.”

James Given, director of Equine Regulation, Safety and Welfare, said, “Not only will our Medication Control and Anti-Doping (MCAD) team have access to more information about visiting horses, but there will be opportunities for our wider team to share ideas and best practice in other areas of our work.”

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Irish EBF Barrier Trial Entries Open

Entries are now open for the Irish EBF Barrier Trials at Naas Racecourse scheduled for Monday, May 29.

The trials, restricted to unraced juveniles and 3-year-olds, are operated by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) and backed by the Irish European Breeders' Fund (IEBF) and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB). The 2023 edition will be back on turf for the first time since 2019, and all the trials will be conducted over six and seven furlongs. Notable graduates of the trials include Group 1 winner A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}) and Group 3 winner Caroline Street (No Nay Never).

All of the trials are recorded, timed, and made available to view online shortly after their running on the ITM website and social media. In addition, there will also be a live steam of the trials on the ITM YouTube channel. For more information, please visit the ITM website.

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Charles Byrnes Fined 6k Under Non-Triers’ Rule At Gowran Park

Trainer Charles Byrnes was hit with a massive €6,000 fine under the non-triers' rule following the running of Ellaat (GB) (Heeraat {Ire}) in a low-grade handicap on the Flat at Gowran Park on Wednesday evening.

He was found to have breached the Rule 212A (i) by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) stewards who also slapped his jockey Gearoid Brouder with a 21-day suspension. Ellaat was also banned from running for 90 days.

It is not the first time the multiple Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer has felt the wrath of Irish racing's regulators in recent times. Back in January 2021, Byrnes had his licence suspended for six months after Viking Hoard was found to have tested positive for a sedative after a race at Tramore in which he was laid to lose for a substantial sum of money.

Ellaat, who races in the colours of Byrnes's son Cathal, flashed home to finish an eye-catching fourth under restrained riding (video). Brouder stated that his instructions for the race were to get his mount to relax, as the horse had made a noise previously, and do his best from there.

During the race, Ellaat was reported to have made a noise, hung right in the home straight and took some time to pull up after the finishing line.

The stewards at Gowran Park noted that Ellaat was observed by an IHRB Veterinary Officer and found to be coughing after the race but was otherwise normal and “not inconvenienced in any way at the time.” The betting patterns of the race were also referred on to a senior racing official for further investigation.

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Cotter Fined €27,500 For Cobalt Positive, Misconduct

Trainer Kieran Cotter was fined €27,500 by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Referrals Committee and must pay a further €7,500 in legal costs. One of his runners, Slade Runner (Ire) (Slade Power {Ire}), tested positive for cobalt and the IHRB found further misconduct by the trainer following a yard inspection.

Slade Runner won a Dundalk handicap in January and returned a cobalt reading higher than the international threshold. After the cobalt positive, there was a joint inspection of Cotter's yard by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM) and officers of the IHRB on Feb. 3. Cotter was found to be in breach of Rule 96(a), that disqualified the winner, Slade Runner, and that both the stake and prize-money were forfeited. The IHRB Committee fined Cotter €2,500 for this rule breach.

A number of charges were also brought against Cotter after the yard inspection, with the trainer in breach of a number of provisions under Rule 148:

No medicines register was maintained by the trainer prior to February of 2021 for any of his horses.
Used syringes and needles were left lying in a number of locations in the premises, with Cotter stating he had no knowledge of their presence and had not used them.
The presence also of a large number of unused syringes and needles in the barn.
The apparent general use of veterinary medicines, other than under veterinary supervision which suggested that Cotter was self-medicating some of the horses in his care.
The apparent administration via intravenous injection of medicines without veterinary oversight, contrary to proper procedures.
Reckless disregard to the potential effects or consequences to administering the cobalt drench to Slade Runner in particular.

Although the IHRB Referrals Committee did not find Cotter in breach of the rules for possession of illegal substances in his yard or in breach of Rule 273(xiii), they noted that his conduct was that of a serious nature. They imposed a €5,000 fine in respect of a breach of Rule 148(I), in reference that the trainer is responsible for everything connected with the welfare, training and running of all horses under the care of that trainer and that Slade Runner was administered cobalt the day before the race. A €20,000 fine was leveled against Cotter in respect to a breach of Rule 148(iii) in that he had failed to maintain his medicines register, failed to ensure that he and each of his staff having access to medicines were fully conversant with the rules and regulations relating to prohibited substances and that he had failed to be responsible for the safe keeping and administration of medicines having failed to securely lock the medicine cabinet.

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