Not Blue Magic but blood related? Couldn't see how this helps the All Stars spin
28 June 2017 Trainer Mark Purdon - Inquiry Concluded
http://www.harness.org.au/media-room...?news_id=34046


Bleeders
VIC - Post-race endoscopic examinations
http://www.harness.org.au/media-room...?news_id=35903
Now if this was America this initiative would help differentiate between the true bleeders and the horses that get their nostrils pricked to go on Lasix as a performance enhancer. What are the stats in America...4% are true bleeders but 90% are given Lasix hmmm. Every other racing jurisdiction has Lasix banned and even the Hambletonian. Of the 4% who are true bleeders, Lasix might only be helpful for a percentage of those.

In Aus, certainly in Vic, the sign of blood at the nostrils is investigated further by an endoscopic exam before the horse is ruled to have bled. But I guess the point is, or what might be being debated is, was Blue Magic really for bleeders? Did others who got pinged also try to use that defence? And I suppose all that got pinged for aminocaproic acid had bleeders, confirmed by a stable endoscope diagnosis?

My thoughts are we should applaud Dr Swann's initiative. Those participants who may have left, well, in most cases it may have been good riddance. Could well be Dr Swann laid the foundations for Vic harness racing having the opportunity to be a leader in drug detection and clean racing. Pretty sure it was Brant Dunshea, former HRV Chief Steward, who was behind the first detection of EPO in Australian racing.

The "simplistic" rule of the trainer's duty to present drug free not really having changed since Dr Swann's days. What has changed is in a lot of instances the lawyers finding any loop hole or bunny to shift the trainers guiltiness. I agree, it is a somewhat precarious rule that I'm sure stewards/integrity departments would like to replace with the perfect rule.

But, like it or not, especially these days, the wider community's expectation of animal care is pretty well limited to hay, oats and water.

And whilst I have strayed from the thread title, Trevor, your broad brush stroke about stewards and youtube, there are stewards who were trainer drivers.