- This topic has 58 replies, 20 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 11 months ago by
.
- Posts
7 more horses have tested positive in Al Zarooni’s stable including Encke.
Value Is Everything20/05/2013
BHA Al Zarooni statement expected
The British Horseracing Authority is preparing to release a statement following reports last year’s St Leger winner Encke is one of a number of horses to test positive for a banned substance at the yard of Mahmood Al Zarooni.
The BHA tested every horse at the stables of the former Godolphin trainer following his eight-year ban after admitting to administering anabolic steroids to 15 horses in his care.
Every runner at his Moulton Paddocks base was tested in the days following his suspension and David Walsh, the journalist who played a key role in exposing cyclist Lance Armstrong’s drug use, tweeted that Encke is among those to return a positive result.
The BHA is yet to comment but is planning to release a statement outlining the latest developments.
It tweeted: "BHA to release full statement regarding results of testing of Godolphin horses shortly."
Value Is EverythingWill Sheikh Mo want to keep the St Leger trophy if steroid abuse was widespread in the Al Zarooni yard?
Is it possible for an owner to ask for a race to be taken away from himself?
Value Is EverythingSteeler was another of the latest to test positive and is banned, like the others, until 29th October, effectively the end of the season. Wonder if bookies will refund ante-post bets on him?
Thanks for the good crack. Time for me to move on. Be lucky.
Ohh bloody hell what a mess i was looking forward to seeing that horse i hope SM will learn from this im so glad Dawn Approach stayed with Jim Boldger.
Steeler was another of the latest to test positive and is banned, like the others, until 29th October, effectively the end of the season. Wonder if bookies will refund ante-post bets on him?
As one who has backed Steeler for the Derby, I hope so Steve. Although if it is going to be more frequent may be bookmakers won’t want to give out money every time. Am sure Encke was quoted for the King George and Gold Cup too.
Value Is EverythingThere is no knowing how long horses were treated with steroids in this yard.All their winners last year should be disqualified.The steroids don’t have to be still there by race day.It would not surprise me if both So You Think and Camelot were beaten by horses that were DOPED.
The full list of 7 involved are: Encke, Energizer, Genius Beast, Improvisation, Stamford, Steeler and Zip Top.
Value Is EverythingHope Sheikh Mo decides the Godolphin brand is now not worth continuing with. By all means keep S Bin Suroor, but leave horses with their original trainers under their original colours.
Value Is EverythingNo need to tarnish S Bin Suroor with the same brush.He has always been a gentleman.However can’t see why the colors cannot be used even if horses are left with their original trainers.Seems like the other yard has been into dope for a while.How long do those steroids remain in the system? Zarooni has been gone for a couple of weeks,when were the horses tested? Could the St.Leger winner have been fed steroids during the interval between the St.Leger and his previous race.Would he have been free of dope by Leger day?I suggest all runners from that yard who were placed or won last year be disqualified.There is a strong possibility they were doped.
not being funny, but it beggars belief, given the extent of the doping, that al-zarooni was the only guy at godolphin who knew what was going on.
fall guy for me.
It does beggar belief.
And, having waited a lifetime to see a horse win it, it is DESPERATELY disappointing that Camelot’s bid for a triple crown may have been scuppered by a horse who owed some of his performance to illegal drugs.
A mess, all that’s left to be done is clean up the shattered pieces as best they can, on all sides.
No need to tarnish S Bin Suroor with the same brush.He has always been a gentleman.However can’t see why the colors cannot be used even if horses are left with their original trainers.Seems like the other yard has been into dope for a while.How long do those steroids remain in the system? Zarooni has been gone for a couple of weeks,when were the horses tested?
Could the St.Leger winner have been fed steroids during the interval between the St.Leger and his previous race.Would he have been free of dope by Leger day?
I suggest all runners from that yard who were placed or won last year be disqualified.There is a strong possibility they were doped.
That’s the standard procedure with doped athletes yes. I was rather shocked when Encke ran away with the Leger leaving Camelot in his wake. Nothing in his previous form suggested he was capable of that kind of performance
Does anyone else think it’s significant that noone in the Godolphin camp seemed to suggest any surprise that he won the way he did, or even won at all?
Perhaps you might put it down to the extra distance, but I don’t recall Barzalona, Crisford or the Sheikh (never mind Al-Zarooni, it clearly wasn’t a surprise to him!) express any surprise or incredulous delight in the immediate wake of victory, that they should have crushed the unbeaten hot-pot so easily. No cries of "Well I didn’t see that coming!" or "Who’d have called that?"
Strange…
A bit of a no win situation. If he gets awarded the race, there will always be those he say he was beaten. When he doesn’t, he will be the horse deprived of the triple crown because of a doped(?) horse.
The BHA can issue announcements that Encke tested twice negative, but how many times did Lance Armstrong test negative. If you know what you are doing steriods you can be clear of the system by the time you are likely to be tested (i.e. after a race). Does anyone have photo’s of Encke in the parade rings throughout the 2012 season and is there any physical indications?
Unless I am mistaken, on of the positive horses announced today won a maiden earlier this year. Was he tested after this race, or were the steriods given subsequently?
Will we get the full story or will it continue to be the story of the suitcase and giving the syringe to a non-medical qualified member of staff?
Rubbish EGS – this is what Simon Crisford said in the aftermath of the win…
“Mickael Barzalona has given the horse a superb ride and put the race to bed when he kicked on at the two-furlong pole. There was a question about Encke’s stamina, but in the end he has stayed it well.
“Encke has a fantastic pedigree and is a horse that has always been forward.
“We put a line through his last run in the Voltigeur which was a false run race.
endAll too easy to look at the race with hindsight.
On the other hand here is what Zarooni had to say. You might like the last sentence of the first paragraph…
“We have been trying to win this Classic. Two years ago we ran Rewilding and last year we ran Blue Bunting who were both favourites. Today we have won it with an outsider. Racing can be a funny game.
“It was a brilliant ride from Mickael which I think is a sixth St Leger win for Godolphin and His Highness (Sheikh Mohammed).
“To be honest, it was His Highness’ decision to run here today. I disagreed and thought we should not. He was right. His Highness and I always disagree but His Highness is always right.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.