''SHAHJEE'' INQUIRY
13/05/2011
The Stewards last night concluded their inquiry into the analyst’s findings in respect of the post-race blood and urine samples taken from SHAHJEE following that horse winning the William’s Coach Handicap at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday, 20 March 2011.
Evidence was last night taken from Mr P F Yiu, the trainer of SHAHJEE and who represented the interests of Mr Syed Pervez Hussain, the owner of SHAHJEE, Dr B D Stewart, Head of Veterinary Regulation & International Liaison and Dr T S M Wan, Head of Racing Laboratory. Evidence was also taken from a Stables Assistant allocated to Mr Yiu’s stable and who attended to SHAHJEE at the relevant time. The Stewards do not believe it is appropriate to name the Stables Assistant at this time.
Dr Wan had previously notified that the post-race blood sample taken from SHAHJEE subsequent to the stated race had shown the presence of ketamine and norketamine and that the post-race urine sample taken from the horse had shown the presence of dehydronorketamine and norketamine, both being metabolites of ketamine. Dr Wan advised the inquiry that a detailed re-analysis of the pre-race urine sample obtained from SHAHJEE had shown evidence of the presence of minute and insignificant traces of ketamine and its metabolites, but the evidence did not exceed the established screening limits for such substances and did not warrant the use of a special method to confirm and report their presence officially.
Dr Stewart provided evidence to the inquiry that ketamine and its metabolites are capable of acting on the nervous system of a horse and as such are prohibited substances according to the Rules of Racing of The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Mr Yiu accepted that ketamine and its metabolites are prohibited substances in accordance with the Rules of Racing and that the blood and urine samples taken from SHAHJEE after the stated race showed the presence of ketamine and norketamine and dehydronorketamine and norketamine respectively and that all proper procedures and protocols were adopted in respect of the taking of these samples.
Rule of Racing 138 (1) and (2) provide that a horse shall be free of any prohibited substance on the day on which it has been declared to race (i.e. race day), until such time as the Stewards release such horse after it has raced and that in the event of a sample taken from any horse during this period being reported as positive to a prohibited substance such horse shall, in the case of a post-race sample, be disqualified for such race. Accordingly, SHAHJEE was disqualified from the William’s Coach Handicap and the placings amended to No. 7 ADORATION, 1st; No. 11 BET ON ME, 2nd; No. 1 SOVEREIGN FALCON, 3rd; No. 8 PERFECT JOY, 4th; and No. 10 NOBLE DE BEST, 5th. Mr Yiu was advised of the owner’s right of appeal against the decision to disqualify SHAHJEE from this race.
Dr Wan provided evidence to the inquiry that two urine samples provided on 1 April 2011 by the Stables Assistant allocated to Mr Yiu’s stable and who attended to SHAHJEE at the relevant time were found to contain very high concentrations of ketamine and its metabolites, and that all items swabbed at the residence of the Stables Assistant under consent had also shown significant traces of ketamine. Further, swabs of a number of items which the Stables Assistant had contact with within Mr Yiu’s stable as well as the immediate stable environments of SHAHJEE and another horse attended to by the relevant Stables Assistant had also shown traces of ketamine. Dr Wan further advised that blood and urine samples taken on 1 April 2011 from SHAHJEE and the other horse trained by Mr Yiu which was attended to by the relevant Stables Assistant had all shown, upon detailed analysis, evidence for the presence of minute and insignificant traces of ketamine and its metabolites.
Having considered all of the evidence before them, the Stewards formed the view that the finding of ketamine and its metabolites in the post-race blood and urine samples taken from SHAHJEE on 20 March 2011 was most probably as a result of contamination caused by the Stables Assistant who attended to the horse on that day.
Having formed this opinion, the Stables Assistant, who is an employee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, was informed that the Stewards would forward a report to the Club’s Management on his involvement in this matter for their consideration and necessary action in respect of his continued employment by the Club. The Stables Assistant was further notified that the Stewards would forward a recommendation to the Club’s Board of Stewards that he be warned-off racecourses controlled by the Club.
Rule of Racing 140 (2) provides that in the event of a sample taken from a horse during the specified period being found positive to any prohibited substance, the trainer of such horse bears the onus of proving that he did not administer or cause to be administered the prohibited substance detected, and that he had taken all proper precautions to prevent the administration of the prohibited substance.
Mr Yiu was advised that having formed the view that the finding of ketamine and its metabolites in the blood and urine samples taken from SHAHJEE on 20 March 2011 was most probably as a result of contamination caused by the Stables Assistant who attended to the horse at the relevant time, they were satisfied that he did not administer ketamine or cause that substance to be administered to SHAHJEE. However, it remained necessary for the Stewards to make a determination as to whether he had taken all proper precautions to prevent the administration of ketamine to SHAHJEE.
The Rules of Racing place a heavy onus upon trainers in respect of their responsibility to present horses under their care and control to race free of prohibited substances so as to protect the integrity and reputation of horseracing and the Club together with the interests of the owners of horses racing in Hong Kong. Mr Yiu was advised that given the very unique circumstances of this case, the Stewards were of the opinion that there had not been any failure, omission or neglect on his part which had resulted in ketamine and its metabolites being found in the relevant post-race samples taken from SHAHJEE on 20 March 2011. Accordingly, the Stewards did not believe that any charge of having breached the Rules of Racing should be issued against him in respect of this matter. However, he was advised that should he harbour any concerns in respect of the performance, suitability or demeanour of the stable staff allocated to him in the future, he should immediately advise the Club’s Management of such concerns.
Finally, the Stewards, having regard to a vigorous analysis of the betting on the William’s Coach Handicap conducted at Sha Tin Racecourse on 20 March 2011 and having considered the evidence adduced at the inquiry, were satisfied that the findings of ketamine and its metabolites in the blood and urine samples taken from SHAHJEE after the relevant race were not in any way associated with betting support for the horse when it was successful in this race.
http://www.hkjc.com/english/corporate/racing_news_item.asp?in_file=/english/news/2011-05/news_2011051301620.html
沙紙頭馬資格被褫奪, 唔罰姚本輝, 但呢單野未完...
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本帖最後由 駿先鋒 於 13/5/2011 06:26 PM 編輯 ]
