Equine Anti-Doping

Independent Review of the Equine Anti-Doping Programme

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board welcomes Dr. Craig Suann’s Independent Review of the IHRB Equine Anti-Doping Programme (EADP), which can be found here and undertakes to work through the recommendations contained in the review to enhance what the review recognised as a programme “at least matching international best practice".

Policy on Anti-Doping vs Medication Control

The viability of the Irish Thoroughbred industry is dependent on the confidence of the public and those who participate within it. The I.H.R.B is responsible for ensuring the integrity of horseracing in Ireland and in particular its anti-doping programme. It’s no longer about ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ domestic post-race samples. It’s about a race day testing strategy, increased out of competition testing, testing at sale and stud, intelligence-led testing, investigations, international collaborations, education and prevention. The I.H.R.B’s full Anti-Doping and Medication Control Policy is being developed following publication of the Anti-Doping Task Force Report in 2016 and later publication of the Industry Wide Anti-Doping Strategy in 2018 as here, but the following principles run through it;

Inappropriate use of drugs in racehorses is a threat to the integrity and reputation of horseracing and the welfare of horse and jockey and is not tolerated.
The judicious use of therapeutic medications must be supported in the interests of racehorse welfare.
In line with most international racing jurisdictions, horses racing under the I.H.R.B's Rules of Racing must do so free from the effects of any prohibited substance.
Ireland is full signatory to Article 6 of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ Agreement on Racing, Breeding and Wagering which sets out internationally agreed standards for anti-doping and medication control.
It is recognised that some positive samples result from inadvertent mistakes in medication control and cross-contamination. Regulation of anti-doping and medication control must incorporate essential education and prevention.
There was an increase in the absolute numbers of samples taken in 2017; in 2018 and beyond there will be development of how these increased samples are selected and acted upon in order to deliver as effective an anti-doping programme as possible with the resources available.

Anti-Doping Programme - How does Testing Work?

Anti-Doping & Medication Control Rules – A Trainer/Handler’s Guide

Anti-Doping & Medication Control Rules – A Vet’s Guide

Elective Testing – What is it & how does it work?

The I.H.R.B has initiated Elective Testing, intended to assist Trainers/Handlers establish:

that medication given for essential veterinary treatment has cleared from a horse's system before a race;
if a Trainer suspects inadvertent medication or contaminated feedstuffs may have been given to a horse or horses.

Elective Testing is available to Trainers/Handlers only. Such Elective Testing is done at the Trainer’s expense. It must be settled directly from the Trainer’s HRI account (2020 price €185 plus VAT for specified drug) under certain Terms and Conditions and at the discretion of the I.H.R.B. Only urine is tested. The I.H.R.B may, in any case, decline to allow the Elective Testing sample to be analysed, without reasons.

The sample will be analysed only for the named drug and/or its metabolites.

Quantitative measurement of threshold substances is not included in the standard service. Because of the time constraints of this procedure, the report will be based on the results of a single analysis only. A full, unequivocal confirmatory analysis will not be carried out. The results and cost of the test relate only to the named drug and apply only to the sample received. They do not indicate that the sample came from the named horse.

There is no assurance that the results of an analysis will be replicated by an analysis of another sample taken later from the same horse, and that a negative report from Elective Testing does not override the Rules of Racing with regard to the testing of post-race samples and the consequences of the results of such testing being positive.

In order to request approval for an Elective Test, a Trainer should contact antidoping@ihrb.ie with a completed Request Form. In order for a request to be granted the horse must usually have a current race entry, and details of the treatment given must be provided including:

Substance administered (trade name and active ingredient) and Dosage
Route of administration
Duration of Treatment (including last date of administration)

Urine must be collected in a clean (not necessarily sterile), leak-proof container. Lining the collection contained with an unused polythene bag is a good way to minimise the risk of contaminating the sample. For accurate results care must be taken to prevent contamination of the sample:

Thorough hand washing prior to sample collection
Wearing disposable latex gloves, or similar during the collection process. In most circumstances results are known within 3 full working days of receipt of the sample. Results are reported to the I.H.R.B, who will then communicate with the Trainer.

Responsible Use of Equine Medicines