The Stewards today concluded their inquiry into the analyst’s findings of clenbuterol in the samples taken from STRATHMORE both under pre-race and post-race conditions on Sunday, 13 December 2015. On that day STRATHMORE was withdrawn from the LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint due to the pre-race urine sample taken earlier that day being found to show the presence of clenbuterol.
Evidence was taken today from Mr A T Millard, trainer of STRATHMORE, Mr I Bruce, part-owner of STRATHMORE, Dr P Curl, Executive Manager, Veterinary Regulation, and Dr T S M Wan, Head of Racing Laboratory.
The Stewards were satisfied that the finding of clenbuterol in the urine samples taken from STRATHMORE on 13 December 2015 was as a result of contamination of the horse’s environment through the routine use of medication containing clenbuterol rather than any deliberate or inadvertent treatment or administration.
Mr Millard was found guilty of a breach of Rule 140(1) in that as the trainer of STRATHMORE, he did fail to take all proper precautions to ensure that the horse was free of any prohibited substance on the day it was declared to race. Mr Millard was fined the sum of $30,000.
In assessing penalty, the Stewards took into consideration all of the relevant circumstances of the matter including the status of the race in which STRATHMORE was intended to run being an International Group 1 race.
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