Decision on drug awaited

Press, 25 February 1987, Page 41

Decision on drug awaited

PA Auckland Kotare Chief’s owners may never see their $171,875 Auckland Cup winning prizemoney if the drug hordenine which was discovered in the horse’s after-race swab, is found to affect performance.

Connections of Kotare Chief, which tore away to a 25-length lead during the Auckland Cup, have not received the prizemoney, normally distributed a fortnight after raceday, which was January 1. Stakes are being withheld by the New Zealand Racing Conference while, the effects of hordenine, found in the urine samples of Kotare Chief and a number of other routine urine samples, are investigated.

It is believed to have shown up in samples taken from about 20 gallopers and standardbreds racing over the Christmas/New Year period. Racing conference

secretary/manager, Haf Poland, would not say how many, or which, horses had shown traces of hordenine. The horses involved were all thought to have eaten Sweetfeed or Horse and Pony Pellets which were found to have traces of hordenine. Both products were withdrawn from the market in January.

Apparently hordenine can occur naturally as a by-product of germinating barley, but Mr Poland said little was known about its side effects.

One leading veterinary surgeon said hordenine was a central nervous system stimulant “very much akin to caffeine.” He said hordenine had to be treated as a drug and the racing conference would set a dangerous precedent if it did not disqualify horses showing traces of it. Mr Poland said veterinary consultant, Dr Cliff Irvine, had been asked to

report on the effects bf the drug.

Under the Rules of Racing if a horse earning stakemoney is given a drug which affects its, “speed, stamina, conduct or courage” it is disqualified from the race. The horse’s connections may then be charged if there is corruption of negligence.

But Mr Poland said it is unlikely anyone will be charged over the use of hordenine, which appears to be accidental.

Only one other case where hordenine has been discovered in race horses occurred in Canada where authorities found no negligence or corrupt practice and did not redistribute stakes. Once the conference receives Dr Irvine’s report an inquiry will be held and a decision will be made soon after that. “We’re innocent victims,” Kotare Chief’s trainer, Peter Ryan, said.

Ryan’s father, Harold, part owns Kotare Chief with former chief of defence, Sir Robert Bolt.

“There’s been no criminal intent on anyone’s part.” Ryan said he had been feeding his horses the pellets for years. “We’ve got six horses in the same paddock and they all eat it. You can auy the stuff in any store ?nd it says on the bag it’s approved for race horses. '“lt’s just molasses and rraize. It’s like putting siigar on kids’ food to mike it more interestcyan said he stopped usijig the feed as soon as he was told by racecourse inspector, John McKenzie, of jhe conference tests. Ryan said losing the cup[ stake of nearly $171,000 wouldn’t worry him

“The money’s not that important. I feel sorry for dad; he’s been trying to win (this race all his life and now this starts.”