Results of BHA Disciplinary Hearing

The BHA has found that Big Man Doe had a prohibited substance administered, and the owner Jane Wanless was liable. Therefore Big Man Doe is disqualified from the 1400 PPORA Club Members Conditions Race at Meynell and South Staffordshire at Garthorpe on 2 June 2018. The new result will be:

1. Bingo Star ridden by Jack Andrews
2. Dido ridden by Dale Peters
3. Derksen ridden by Miss Alice Stevens
4. Velvet Cognac ridden by Izzie Marshall

Analysis of a sample from the horse confirmed the presence of caffeine and theophylline, which the Board accepted were at levels which could not have been administered accidentally.

The full Conclusion of the Board is as follows:

1. As Mrs. Wanless is in breach of the absolute and strict liability imposed by Regulation 45, the initial task has been to decide if she has been able to satisfy the Panel, on the appropriate test, that the substance was not administered intentionally by her or by any other person. The high reading eliminates any sort of inadvertent transfer. The application of a 25ml dose or a number of regular doses to the wrong horse in a small yard such as this makes little sense. Ingestion by being fed chocolate bars or picnic food on or near race day by the team or by supporters or friends is fundamentally unlikely.

2. Considering the whole of the picture, the availability and admitted usage of Collovet within the yard and the clear improvement of the horse over the week leads us to accept the hypothesis put forward by Dr Paine and to conclude that this was a deliberate administration. That being the case there is no need to consider the second limb, and a fine is inevitable.

3. We are unable to say, however, who administered the substance; but Mrs Wanless, as the owner, must shoulder the responsibility and the offence must be marked by a fine. There is in our view an aggravating feature in this case that the Collovet was kept in an unlocked cupboard, while the tendency to medicate without taking veterinary advice in non-routine cases invites problems.

4. Taking all matters into account the financial penalty will be one of £175 following the level applied in previous cases to be paid within six months. Disqualification under Regulation 150 automatically flows, and such prize money that was received must be returned and redistributed appropriately.

The full results of the BHA’s Judicial panel can be viewed here http://judicialpanel.britishhorseracing.com/results/result/?id=2004