One less

[Greg Hando]

Another one gone for a little holiday
http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=101318

[barney]

Was thinking today after all the fallout from the Lance Armstrong furore what implications it will have for racing both harness and Thoroughbreds.He has never had a poitive yet we are hearing now how long he was using drugs for and despite what people on here say he must have been using masking agenst.My point is it was quite widespread and went undetected for a long time Epo.

[broncobrad]

Was thinking today after all the fallout from the Lance Armstrong furore what implications it will have for racing both harness and Thoroughbreds.He has never had a poitive yet we are hearing now how long he was using drugs for and despite what people on here say he must have been using masking agenst.My point is it was quite widespread and went undetected for a long time Epo.

Barney, the parallels into the will of administrative sporting bodies to pursue and prosecute these cheats is contentious. Contrary to your statement, Armstrong did indeed produce positive results to EPO/cortico steroids in 1999. Here are a couple of links, google it yourself, there is plenty of info available.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sport...-details_x.htm

http://www.iol.co.za/sport/cycling/n...r-up-1.1404709

The controlling body at the time chose to do nothing. Why? There were and still are, mega bucks on the line here, for competitors, sponsors, media etc. Apart from that, the technique to substantitively prove the presence of EPO wasn't approved at the time. He cannot admit guilt, he just can't. Four Corners ran a great story the other night, so much speculation, he said, she said stuff. When he chose not to respond to the charges back in August, that sealed it for me.

I can't be too critical of HRNSW at the moment. They are hamstrung with limited $$$'s, investigative powers, on-going police inquiries that limit their ability to get on the front foot, obtaining credible lab results that will stand up to scrutiny, having to fight tooth and nail to make charges stand at appeal...it just goes on ad nauseum. These blokes are on the back foot at every turn. For me the boldenone positive just does not go away, and there is a lot riding on THAT appeal.

I hope HRNSW will does not falter as the UCI's did back in 1999. Still got faith in Reid seeing this and the corruption charges through.

[Triple V]

Other aspects aside, it might only be a Class 3 BUT that stuff would shoot a Horse's liver to pieces.

[broncobrad]

Hard to find much on its use in horses VVV and in regard to liver although it can lead to an elevated protein level. But the risk of gastro-intestinal bleeding is significantly raised and contra-indicated in humans for renal impairment, chronic pain management, obstetrics etc. It can even contribute to odema and would be an undesirable side effect as well. Bottom line, it shouldn't have been there.

[Tangles]

Quite a difference in penalties between Harness racing and that being dished out to the Gallop trainers.
Gollan fined $4000 after positive swab

Australian Horse RacingOctober 30, 2012 5:48 pm
Leading trainer Tony Gollan has been fined $4000 following a positive swab inquiry. Silver Command, trained by Gollan, returned a post-race swab sample containing the prohibited substance testosterone after he won at Doomben on September 5. At a stewards inquiry held at the Racing Queensland offices at Deagon on Monday


Read more: http://www.justhorseracing.com.au/ca...#ixzz2AmShRMtA

[broncobrad]

Reconciling differences in how penaltys are arrived at just does my head in. In contrast to Gollan winning a metropolitan race with a horse with more than the prescribed amount of testosterone allowed and copping a $4,000 fine, Coffs Harbour trainer Gordon Yorke went for the same thing last year at Grafton but he was fined $7,000 for a lowly country maiden. I'm sure someone can point out to me what it is that I cannot see. Is it a case of apples and apples or is it just a lucky dip?

http://www.racingandsports.com.au/ra...ke_Fined_$7000

[Danno]

Tangles, Brad,
has anyone consulted VOR on this?
cos if anyone can come up with a feasable answer it'll be VOR. I also find it completely bewildering the difference between penalties for the two equine sports for the same substance, alah recent lengthy suspensions/disqualifications for the "red hots" versus a piddling fine for the "sport of kings".

as stated VOR will come up with a plausible answer to this, just haven't heard from him recently, maybe he's been busy moving or something like that.

Cheers,
Dan

[broncobrad]

Haven't seen any transcript of proceedings but the case has been proven. I would like to think that yes, Mitch has done the wrong thing and he got caught, but atleast he manned up, put his hand up and threw himself at the mercy of the stewards. His reputation just went up a few levels in my book. Do the time and come back a better person for it. Unlike some who keep coming up with the greatest cock and bull storys to get themselves out of the shit, you know the ones, that blame every other reason under the sun how a substance came to be in their horse, when all they really needed to do was look in the mirror or check the syringes in their kit bag. No appeal, no stay, no bullshit excuse, no further waste of industry $$$'s trying to prove the inevitable. So for mine, Mitch has done the right thing in the end, its a big call in this day and age to admit guilt. Good on him. See you in 9 months

[aussiebreno]

Haven't seen any transcript of proceedings but the case has been proven. I would like to think that yes, Mitch has done the wrong thing and he got caught, but atleast he manned up, put his hand up and threw himself at the mercy of the stewards. His reputation just went up a few levels in my book. Do the time and come back a better person for it. Unlike some who keep coming up with the greatest cock and bull storys to get themselves out of the shit, you know the ones, that blame every other reason under the sun how a substance came to be in their horse, when all they really needed to do was look in the mirror or check the syringes in their kit bag. No appeal, no stay, no bullshit excuse, no further waste of industry $$$'s trying to prove the inevitable. So for mine, Mitch has done the right thing in the end, its a big call in this day and age to admit guilt. Good on him. See you in 9 months

I hope you mean like 5 steps back but then two steps forward type stuff.