Another First...Whats going On

[p plater]

Stewards report out of Queensland. Control contaminated.

STEWARDS REPORT

DEAGON – 7 JANUARY 2013

Racing Queensland Limited (RQL) Stewards today conducted an Inquiry into a report from the Queensland Government Racing Science Centre that the urine sample obtained from MISTER ATTITUDE after its winning performance in Race 5 Plumb It With SQP Conditioned Handicap at Albion Park on 29 October 2012 was found upon scientific analysis to contain Synephrine.
Independent analysis was completed by the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory on the remaining portions of the sample which confirmed the presence of Synephrine in the urine and the corresponding control solution.
Evidence was taken from Trainer John Edmunds who explained his feeding regime and circumstances leading up to the race in question. Samples were obtained from the property from which Mr. Edmunds trained MISTER ATTITUDE. No Synephrine was detected in these samples.
The RQL Sample Collection Officer explained the procedure for the collection of urine she adopted, and Lola Weidemann who was in charge of MISTER ATTITUDE during the collection process gave evidence of what she witnessed during this procedure.
Dr. Bruce Young (Manager Veterinary Services) of the Racing Science Centre explained the procedure relating to the packaging of swab kits, and evidence was also tendered by Mr. John Keledjian (General Manager) of Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory who outlined the procedure engaged for the confirmatory analysis.
After consideration of all the available evidence before them, Stewards were satisfied there had been no breaches in protocol in the collection of the sample and further were satisfied by the procedures used in the analysis of the sample by the Racing Science Centre and the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory.
Stewards however could not be satisfied that a charge of presentation of a horse for racing other than drug free could be sustained. On this basis it was directed that the prizemoney allocated pertaining to Race 5 at Albion Park on 29 October 2012 be paid according to the judges placing’s.
Stewards concluded the matter as an open finding pending any further investigations and evidence which may assist with the matter of contamination of the control solution.
D Farquharson
(Chief Steward Harness)

[Triple V]

Depends on the concentration found but Synephrine itself is a naturally occurring substance which can be found in quite a wide range of plants.
I recall there was another positive recorded to this exact same substance somewhere in Australia in 2011 or 2012 and if memory serves me well because it was shown to be widely present in plants growing in the pasture that the horse grazed it ended up being dropped.
Unless they can/could quantify the amount present and categorically state that it was above anything that could possibly be caused by the consumption of a plant or plants that contain it then I would think it would be near impossible to make a charge for that stuff stand up.
Maybe the horse has a taste for Manderins?

[p plater]

Depends on the concentration found but Synephrine itself is a naturally occurring substance which can be found in quite a wide range of plants.
I recall there was another positive recorded to this exact same substance somewhere in Australia in 2011 or 2012 and if memory serves me well because it was shown to be widely present in plants growing in the pasture that the horse grazed it ended up being dropped.
Unless they can/could quantify the amount present and categorically state that it was above anything that could possibly be caused by the consumption of a plant or plants that contain it then I would think it would be near impossible to make a charge for that stuff stand up.
Maybe the horse has a taste for Maderins?

VVV, the thing that I find strange about this one is the Control being contaminated. In Aust the Control (sterile water) is in the swabbing pack, unlike NZ where they get their Control from the nearest tap.

To get in the Control it must have come via the collection pan, which most who appeal claim could be the only answer but are always told not possible and the rulings go accordingly. This case may show it is possible.

[Triple V]

G'day Bailey,
Over the years I suspect quite a few Trainers have gone for a row as a direct result of contaminated samples.
IMO the entire racing drug testing regime needs an overhaul.
The sooner we completely dispense with archaic urine collection procedures & subsequent qualitative testing of same for the metabolites of various drugs....and go with quantitative testing for the presence of parent drug overages in blood, the better off Trainers will be.

[p plater]

G'day Bailey,
Over the years I suspect quite a few Trainers have gone for a row as a direct result of contaminated samples.
IMO the entire racing drug testing regime needs an overhaul.
The sooner we completely dispense with archaic urine collection procedures & subsequent qualitative testing of same for the metabolites of various drugs....and go with quantitative testing for the presence of parent drug overages in blood, the better off Trainers will be.

VVV, blood is the purest tests and most used in USA where certain substances are permitted. They also use a sterile plastic cover over the collection pan so no possible transfer can happen. Maybe such a cover could be used here...lets call it a " Collection Condom"