Can Drug Testing alone catch or stop DRUG cheats? - Richard Freedman on TripleM Radio

[trish]

God Kev they were the days . So much fun back then until one day!!!. Still want to know who Voice Of Reason was.

Does anyone know who he really was. Been told many names but would still love to know the truth.

OR does he want to put his real name up like everyone else.

[Messenger]

Dizzy/Dot & Mark on one side v Voice Of Reason & V V V on the other

It made me think about Dot today and look at her forum exit
I regret pissing Dot off on the Showgrounds Poll thread, she was intense but she was good.
In hindsight I should have worded it that 'HRV should investigate ...... and although I never said $60m would guarantee our future (I should have said 'might' instead of could)

I wasn't a much better moderator than Jamie on that day
Nobody likes being accused of being 'untruthful' and I can't deny that I want the forum to be a fun place but whether I have skin in the game (other than pouring time into this forum) does not mean that I live in fantasy land, don't care about the industry or don't want earnest discussion - on that particular day I was not up for it - I just wanted to put a Poll up

Lately I feel like I am struggling to keep the forum alive
I think that it will just die, if there is not at least one new post each day - a reason for people to visit
Why do I bother? Because I think we need a place/places where we can have a say

You're welcome back anytime Dot, arguments/disagreements are part of most days, and then we start over again the next day

[Mighty Atom]

I have bumped this thread as I came across it when looking as to where I should make the following post and found it a fascinating read (until we got into a stalemate near the end)
It was before my time on the forum. Mark, Dizz, VVV - most interesting and entertaining (although VVV did show why he needed to quit as a Mod see Post 208 for an example)
But the most memorable post was Breno's Post 110 at the bottom of Pg11
Don't read the thread in one sitting as it will do your head in

Back to today: For the majority who do not subscrible to PeterProfit's blog I am providing this link to The Black Horse Newsletter.

https://www.goldrushpublications.com/general-4

You will find some of his thoughts on drugs in racing in the newsletters second story

Today in his blog Archie (PP) has given up and said that the only way to achieve a level playing field is to legalize all drugs so that all are free/able to (if they wish) use the drugs that the cheats are using

Hi Kev,

Using your quote Today in his blog Archie (PP) has given up and said that the only way to achieve a level playing field is to legalize all drugs so that all are free/able to (if they wish) use the drugs that the cheats are using[/QUO


I've always been an advocate for the use of therapeutic drugs for horses. Anabolic steroids are used therapeutically to help a horse recover from illness. Anabolics help the body repair itself, improve the horse's appetite, and increase the volume of red blood cells what's not to like about that.

Today's racing is focused on speed which places undue pressure on the horse particularly the legs so any treatment that helps recovery in my mind is welcome. It's no secret that top trainers with their vets have learnt to use these drugs within the rules of racing so why not make it available to everyone.

Naturally, I reject any drug that pushes a horse beyond its natural ability ( the 1980s comes to mind)

I could write a book on the period I was involved with harness racing boy that would be an eye-opener.

[Showgrounds]

Hmm. What PP has been referring to has not involved any anabolic steroids. It is much, much worse.

Where is the the outrage about this decision by the toothless HRV?

https://www.harness.org.au/media-roo...?news_id=51318

I searched the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Products Authority website https://apvma.gov.au/ which lists every registeredveterinary product sold in Australia. The substance the offender was found with, Bio Bleeder, isn't listed because it is not a registered product. One would hope Customs is following up the acquisition of this product, it is out of the jurisdiction of harness racing officials to act other than provide evidence.

If you have been following US legal proceedings against cheating horse trainers and vets you would know this and similar concoctions by their street name - EPO. Elephant juice.

In the US trainers are being sent to jail over use of this juice. Here, Rhys Nicholson- despite seeming as unhelpful as he possibly be during the inquiry - cops $4,500 in fines and is free to go about his business!

Why would any person new to the game want to get involved? Why are long term participants walking away?

PP's column questioning whether we should "legalise drug" however was pointed directly at The Fortunate Son, which ran 1:49.4 winning by more than 20 metres at Menangle on Tuesday. In my half-century's involvement in the business has taught me anything it is horses of the ilk of this one only record times like this when travelling in the back of a float.

[aussiebreno]

I had forgotten where I picked up that analogy Kev but its certainly something I've carried on thinking.

As for letting it be a drug FFA. It simply would not appease RSPCA/PETA etc.

[Mighty Atom]

Looks like they are regressing to the bad old days in the US. I'm not sure if they ever went away. Australia? well, I did mention the 1980s ( Etorphine - elephant juice, Sublimaze - fentanyl, EPO and a few more ). Thoroughbred horse trainers were convicted of using the drug here in WA in the 80s one trainer was convicted twice it became so serious that it was reported any further positive swabs to Etorphine would see the perpetrator doing jail time. It was also suggested harness racing was not without fault either.

Remember the outrage in the US of rattlesnake venom being used a few years back. Here, in Australia: Racing stewards have received intelligence that a form of sea snail venom has been imported into Australia and used to manage pain in horses suspected to have raced in the thoroughbred and harness codes this was in 2019.

It's just naive to think horse trainers and their vets are not looking for that winning edge but as I said if it is detrimental to a horse's wellbeing then that is criminal. Whenever one of these drugs and the drug cheat is exposed it brings nothing but suspicion and shame to whatever code of racing.