Racing Victoria has been having meetings with thoroughbred trainers throughout the state to canvass their views on a proposal to implement lifetime bans for trainers found guilty of adminstering prohibited drugs to horses they train.
The proposal first surfaced in a report produced by the Irish Thoroughbred Anti Doping Task Force
“Illegal performance-enhancing drugs have no place in the Irish racing and breeding industries,” the task force said in a statement.
“In particular, the task force supports the position of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities that the use of anabolic steroids should not be permitted in or out of competition.’’
RV chief steward Terry Bailey said on Friday he had read the report and he would table it for discussion at the next dug strategy meeting.
He said he was waiting for an opinion from Racing Victoria vets before taking the matter further.
"That should give us a better idea wether this is something that should be considered here,” Bailey said.
“It would certainly put the responsibility on the owners to choose their trainers carefully.”
Terry Bailey is very supportive of a proposal by Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent for the cobalt and bicarbonate levels of every horse in training to be published on an industry website.
Harness racing authorities in New South Wales have been publishing lists of cobalt and bicarbonate levels recorded by horses for the past two years and Kent says it would name and shame trainers who are cheating.
Bailey is being accompanied at the consultation meetings by RV chief executive Bernard Saundry, chief vet Brian Stewart and racing manager Greg Carpenter.
Harnesslink Media