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BHA announce that seventh horse has tested positive for morphine BHA announces that seventh horse has tested positive for morphine
(about 4 hours later)
Racing’s morphine nightmare continued on Thursday night with news that a seventh horse has tested positive for the drug, believed to have originated in contaminated feed. The British Horseracing Authority announced that two further positives had been discovered in addition to the original five which it confirmed last week but the regulator maintains its stance of refusing to name any of those involved.Racing’s morphine nightmare continued on Thursday night with news that a seventh horse has tested positive for the drug, believed to have originated in contaminated feed. The British Horseracing Authority announced that two further positives had been discovered in addition to the original five which it confirmed last week but the regulator maintains its stance of refusing to name any of those involved.
Six of the positives have been accounted for by trainers coming forward to discuss horses in their stables that have tested positive. The trainers involved so far are Charles Hills, Gay Kelleway, Eve Johnson Houghton, Tony Carroll and Sir Michael Stoute, who has had two horses test positive, including the Queen’s Estimate.Six of the positives have been accounted for by trainers coming forward to discuss horses in their stables that have tested positive. The trainers involved so far are Charles Hills, Gay Kelleway, Eve Johnson Houghton, Tony Carroll and Sir Michael Stoute, who has had two horses test positive, including the Queen’s Estimate.
Rumours abound as to the identity of the trainer of the seventh horse, although it could be an additional case from one of the yards already affected. The BHA conceded that “it is not possible to rule out” more positives from recent weeks.Rumours abound as to the identity of the trainer of the seventh horse, although it could be an additional case from one of the yards already affected. The BHA conceded that “it is not possible to rule out” more positives from recent weeks.
Five of the horses involved have been named, with only Hills withholding details of the relevant horse from his yard; all five tested positive within the space of a week, from 19 to 26 June. The product which is suspected of having caused at least some of the cases was not recalled until 17 July, according to Dodson & Horrell, the feed suppliers, who issued their first statement on the matter the following day. They have since indicated that eight weeks’ worth of the product in question is to be regarded as suspect.Five of the horses involved have been named, with only Hills withholding details of the relevant horse from his yard; all five tested positive within the space of a week, from 19 to 26 June. The product which is suspected of having caused at least some of the cases was not recalled until 17 July, according to Dodson & Horrell, the feed suppliers, who issued their first statement on the matter the following day. They have since indicated that eight weeks’ worth of the product in question is to be regarded as suspect.
So there is considerable scope for more positives to be discovered, although the BHA has quietly been pouring cold water on speculation that the final number might reach as high as 15 and its officials receive significant advance warning of impending positives. The first stage is a screening test, which, if it indicates a potential positive for a particular substance, then leads to the testing of an ‘A’ sample. If there were many more cases to emerge from late June or early July, BHA insiders ought to be aware of the possibility by now.So there is considerable scope for more positives to be discovered, although the BHA has quietly been pouring cold water on speculation that the final number might reach as high as 15 and its officials receive significant advance warning of impending positives. The first stage is a screening test, which, if it indicates a potential positive for a particular substance, then leads to the testing of an ‘A’ sample. If there were many more cases to emerge from late June or early July, BHA insiders ought to be aware of the possibility by now.
In the meantime, trainers are understandably living on their nerves even more than usual. Clive Cox, a winner here on Thursday, said: “From a selfish point of view, I’m pleased that we’re not involved but the sooner we can put a finger on the source, the better we’ll all sleep at night. We’re regular customers of Dodson & Horrell, as, I would suggest, a high percentage of people are. It’s a popular feed and it’s a market leader. This needs to be jumped on and quickly because it’s scary.”In the meantime, trainers are understandably living on their nerves even more than usual. Clive Cox, a winner here on Thursday, said: “From a selfish point of view, I’m pleased that we’re not involved but the sooner we can put a finger on the source, the better we’ll all sleep at night. We’re regular customers of Dodson & Horrell, as, I would suggest, a high percentage of people are. It’s a popular feed and it’s a market leader. This needs to be jumped on and quickly because it’s scary.”
Rod Millman agreed with the widely held view that the positives are a result of a batch of horse feed being contaminated by poppy seeds and said: “It’s amazing it doesn’t happen more often. You go along the motorway and there’s poppies in nearly every field you see.”Rod Millman agreed with the widely held view that the positives are a result of a batch of horse feed being contaminated by poppy seeds and said: “It’s amazing it doesn’t happen more often. You go along the motorway and there’s poppies in nearly every field you see.”
The Devon trainer suggested that the BHA ought to introduce a threshold below which a morphine positive would not result in action being taken. “With modern technology, you can go back to such a small amount, I think they’ve got to be sensible as to what constitutes a proving amount,” he said.The Devon trainer suggested that the BHA ought to introduce a threshold below which a morphine positive would not result in action being taken. “With modern technology, you can go back to such a small amount, I think they’ve got to be sensible as to what constitutes a proving amount,” he said.
The BHA has said it has no tolerance level for morphine but in fact its tests include a screening minimum, below which the test will not return a positive even if morphine is present.The BHA has said it has no tolerance level for morphine but in fact its tests include a screening minimum, below which the test will not return a positive even if morphine is present.
A spokesman refused to reveal the level at which the minimum is set but it is believed to be extremely low and the recent cases are all understood to involve tiny quantities of morphine.A spokesman refused to reveal the level at which the minimum is set but it is believed to be extremely low and the recent cases are all understood to involve tiny quantities of morphine.