The Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Integrity Department has recently observed a number of swab irregularities that appear to have resulted from contamination within the stable environment. Trainers are reminded that contamination can arise from both human and equine medications, and stringent management practices and processes to minimise these risks should be implemented.
The HRV Integrity Department provides the following advice:
Equine Medications
- Trainers and stable staff/volunteers that consume or handle any prescription (or any other) medication should take the appropriate steps to reduce the risks of contamination.
- If possible, horses should be administered medications in a separate area of the stables, with the medications securely stored following use.
- Contamination of the environment is cumulative; prolonged medication use or stables remaining uncleaned for extended periods of time will pose a greater risk.
- Great care should be taken to minimize the risk of cross-contamination between horses. Feed and water including hay should be well separated in adjacent stables.
- Particular care must be taken with oral preparations, especially when using pastes which may stick to the edges of feed bins, stable walls or bars between stables.
- Horses due to race should not be stabled adjacent to animals currently receiving medication.
- The bedding may become significantly contaminated by product excreted in faeces and urine. Consequently, once the medication has been discontinued, the bedding should be changed, and walls and the feeder cleaned.
- Staff handling gear used on a horse under treatment with medications should wash their hands before handling a horse due to race.
- Horses receiving medication whether oral, applied to the skin or mixed in the feed should be treated and fed last in a stable.
Human Medication
- Appropriate precautions should include the washing of hands following handling of any medication, wearing disposable gloves when mixing feeds and refraining from urinating in any areas where horses are housed.
- Trainers should make appropriate inquiries with all stable staff/volunteers to determine whether their personal use of drugs or medications could potentially result in a contamination issue.
- Trainers and stable staff/volunteers should not take medications (e.g. painkillers, inhalers) or consume food and drink that may contain prohibited substances (e.g. caffeine) in the feed or stabling area.
- Horses should not be exposed to water from septic sewer systems and should also be prevented from grazing in areas where water irrigation or overflow is provided from septic sewer systems. Recent HRV testing of septic sewer systems has shown the presence of prohibited substances.
Please note that Australian Harness Racing Rule (AHRR) 190 states the following:
(1) A horse shall be presented for a race free of prohibited substances.
(2) If a horse is presented for a race otherwise than in accordance with sub-rule (1) the trainer of the horse is guilty of an offence.
(4) An offence under sub-rule (2) or sub-rule (3) is committed regardless of the circumstances in which the prohibited substance came to be present in or on the horse.
Please note that in addition to any penalty imposed under the above rules, AHRR 195 states:
195 A horse which has been presented for a race shall be disqualified from it if blood, urine, saliva, or other matter or sample or specimen taken from the horse is found to contain a prohibited substance.
For further information on this matter please contact the HRV Integrity Department using one of the following below:
HRV Stewards - Phone - 03 8378 0222
HRV Stewards Outside Business Hours - Phone - 03 9214 0650
Integrity Hotline - Phone - 03 9214 0651 or Email - integrity@hrv.org.au