Equine Anti-Doping
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.
- Excluding 2020 which was an exceptional year due to the impact of COVID restrictions, the absolute numbers of samples taken each year since 2017 remains both stable and increased relative to the pre-2017 era. In addition, the processes behind how these increased samples are selected and acted upon have been refined to deliver as effective an anti-doping programme as possible with the resources available. Please refer to the biennial Equine Anti-Doping Reports for more detail.
Anti-Doping Programme - How does Testing Work?
Please see here for a presentation which includes an explanation of how the IHRB’s testing works and contact equine@ihrb.ie with any specific queries.
Anti-Doping & Medication Control Rules – A Vet’s Guide
Please see here for a presentation which includes an explanation of the IHRB’s Rules for Veterinary Surgeons and contact equine@ihrb.ie with any specific queries.
Anti-Doping & Medication Control Rules – A Trainer/Handler’s Guide
Please see here for a presentation which includes an explanation of the IHRB’s Rules for Trainers and Handlers and contact equine@ihrb.ie with any specific queries.
Elective Testing Information
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has initiated an Elective Testing option, which offers an analytical service to Trainers/Handlers that wish to establish if medication, given during essential veterinary treatment, has cleared from the animal’s system prior to racing. Furthermore, this service can be utilised by trainers if there is a suspected case of cross contamination/inadvertent-medication which is causing concern.
Elective Testing is available to licenced Trainers/Handler only and is conducted upon receipt of an official request form being submit. The cost of the sampling kit and the laboratory fee currently stands at €255 including VAT. This fee is at the Trainers/Handlers own expense and must be settled directly from their Horse Racing Ireland Account. Any transport/courier costs incurred, if applicable, will be invoiced separately by the IHRB Accounts Department.
Any Trainer/Handler wishing to avail of an Elective Test should contact the IHRBs Anti-Doping Department on 045-445 600 and request an Elective Test Sample Submission Form. Each section of the form should be completed and returned to the IHRB Anti-Doping team via fax (045) 445 601 or email equine@ihrb.ie.
Elective Sampling Procedure
- Following the request form being received by the IHRB, a urine sampling kit can be collected from the IHRB office.
- The urine sample for analysis must be a minimum of 100 millilitres, as required by the laboratory.
- Urine must be collected in a clean, leak-proof container. Thoroughly washing hands prior to sample collection is essential and wearing disposable latex gloves during the collection process is advised. Lining the collection container with an unused polythene bag is a good way to minimise the risk of contaminating the sample.
- 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 Elective Testing service because of the time constraints of this procedure. The laboratory 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.
- Sample drop off should be arranged via the IHRB Veterinary Department and, to avoid incurring transport costs to the laboratory, every effort will be made to arrange drop off at a scheduled race meeting to allow the elective sample to be transported with a pre-scheduled courier.
- Results are known within four working days of the laboratory’s receipt of the sample. Results are reported to the IHRB, who will then communicate with the Trainer.
Responsible Use of Equine Medicines
Guidelines
The Guidelines for Responsible Use of Equine Medicines are printed within the IHRB Medicines Register and are also detailed on the IHRB website
Detection Times
Ireland is part of the European Horserace Scientific Liaison Committee and as such contributed to the development of the EHSLC Detection Times. See here for further explanation as to how these were derived and here for the current list.
A Detection Time is not the same as a Withdrawal Time. Further explanatory notes as to the difference may be found here.
Medicines Register
It is a requirement under the Irish Rules of Racing that a Medicines Register is kept by all licensed Trainers/Handlers. A Medicines Register may be in paper form (the IHRB Medicines Register) – please contact the I.H.R.B for a copy. or in digital form, provided all the required information as stipulated under Rule 148 of the Rules of Racing is included and available immediately on request. As a rule of thumb, anything administered to the horses under a trainer/Handler’s care should be recorded – anthelmintics (wormers), supplements, medications administered whilst a horse is at a veterinary clinic. It is important that this record is kept correctly, and it will be checked during stable inspections and as part of the I.H.R.B’s Out-Of-Competition-Testing programme. Mismatches between what is detected in a horse as a result of such an OOCT visit and what is entered in the Medicines Register are taken extremely seriously.
DAFM Requirements
Content available soon.