Trainer fined $200 on doping charge

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33063, 2 November 1972, Page 8

Trainer fined $200 on doping charge

(N.Z. Pref Association; WELLINGTON. Mr P J. Hindrup. part-owner and trainer of tscameno. which returned a positive test to the drug lignocaine, also known as Lidocaine or Xylocaine, after I winning the Winter Oats at: Trentham on July 15. was yesterday fined *2OO by a sub-com-mittee of the Wellington District Committee of the Racing Conference. Escameno was disqualified | from the race. Hindrup admitted a charge of fading to take proper precautions to prevent the drug being administered to the horse. No charges were laid against Sir S. E. Edwards, of Palmerston North, the other owner of the i horse, but it was admitted by both owners that the horse had ■ lignocaine administered to him I and that lignocaine was a drug; or stimulant capable of affecting; the horse’s speed, stamina, courage or conduct. Mr T. F. Fookes. for the racecourse inspector. Mr J. M. Fleming, told the inquiry that Hind-1 rup in a statement explained; that some time before July he bought some Xylocaine ointment | from a chemist. He had asked the chemist for something to prevent the horse suffering pain. Eacameno had been galloped on when he raced at Hastings before the Wellington meeting, had fallen on the Wednesday before the Winter Oats and had seme abrased skin on his near hind fetlock Joint on the day of the Winter Oats. To relieve pain, Hindrup had rubbed a small amount of the ointment into the fetlock Joint about two bourse before the horse raced. Mr T. A De Cleene for Hindrup said experiments had been carried out which clearly demonstrated that, however unlikely

It might seem, lignocaine could be absorbed into a horse’s system after being rubbed on to the fetlock joint. He added that Hindrup accepted he had failed to make proper inquiry about the ointment, its constituents and the dangers of using it. He said, however, that few people would have thought before the case that a drug could be absorbed into a horse’s system after ointment being rubbed on to a fetlock.

It was agreed on both sides, said the sub-committee’s report, that absorption had caused the | positive result The sub-committee altered the I Winter Oats placings to read: To Whero 1. Tlromai 2. Blue Robin 3. Skoota 4. Because the sub-committee recognised the saving in costs and expenses resulting from Hindrup admitting the charge no order for costs was made against him.