The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) is pleased to announce updated guidance in relation to equine medicines intended to assist trainers and their veterinary surgeons.
New Detection Times:
Omeprazole (Peptizole, Gastrogard): Detection Time reduced from 72 to 48 hours.
Cetirizine (Allacan): New Detection Time of 96 hours.
Hydroxyzine (Atarax): New Detection Time of 96 hours.
Altrenogest (Regumate):
Restrictions applied in September 2018 are now lifted – this licensed medication may be used in fillies and mares in training to control oestrus with the published Detection Time of 12 days. Neither ‘blanket use’ in females nor use in males in training/racing is permitted.
Please note that a Detection Time is not the same as a Withdrawal Time – extra time needs to be added to a Detection Time on the advice of your veterinary surgeon to give a Withdrawal Time. See www.ehslc.com for further details of the doses and products to which these Detection Times apply.
It should be noted that if either trendione or trenbolone are detected in a sample the adverse analytical finding will be classified as a ‘prohibited at all times substance’ under Regulation 14.
For further information, please contact:
Lynn Hillyer, Chief Veterinary Officer/Head of Anti-Doping
Phone: +353 87 1925 366
Editor’s Note on use of Altrenogest
1. Restrictions were put in place on the use of Altrenogest as a precaution whilst further information was sought in relation to international reports that this product contained an anabolic steroid contaminant (trendione/trenbolone). A cost/benefit assessment based on available information has indicated that the risks of less efficacious, potentially unsafe means of managing oestrus in the female Thoroughbred currently outweigh the likelihood of the reported contaminant having any effect on the filly/mare or her offspring.
2. This situation will be kept under review but if a further change of policy is indicated by new information, retrospective action will not be taken in regard to any female horse treated now.
3. The IHRB is reviewing available science to determine policy with regards to foals that may test positive for trendione and trenbolone as a consequence of transfer from a dam treated with altrenogest. Further guidance will be issued on this as soon as is possible.
4. The IHRB wish to highlight that policy in other racing jurisdictions currently varies on this issue; Trainers should specifically check with relevant authorities should they be considering treatment of a mare due to race outside Ireland.
5. It should also be noted that the status of this medication in the context of public horse sales may vary - Trainers are urged to check policy with the individual Sales houses.