Chief Stipe

What would be your justification for that? I'm not asking for a 10 thousand word judgment which seems to be the norm with the RIB now but some reasoning instead of "throw the book at him and give him 3 months minimum". Look closely at the race again. He was being tapped up from the 650m to keep his position. The driver pulled the ear plugs at the top of the straight, pulling the right reign at the same time and the horse ducked in at the same time as Superbass in front went a width wider. I doubt R Cameron actually steered in that direction. He should have pulled out, balanced the horse BEFORE he pulled the plugs. "Mr Steward, Sir, my horse was struggling to keep up from the 650 and I needed to keep tapping him with the whip to stay on the back of the horse I was trailing. He wasn't travelling well enough to pull out before the home straight. Upon straightening I pulled the ear plugs and the right reign and the horse reacted by moving in at the same time as the tiring Superbass moved out closing the gap. My horse appeared to come back onto the bit in the concluding stages but that was more a case of not being able to pass tiring horses in front of us."

He should have moved out on the turn but why couldn't the horse keep up with being tapped up?

Hiding in hedges doesn't and didn't return positives. Plus you can't hide in every hedge. Perhaps they should hire less hedge hiders and spend more on finding what is wrong with their testing protocols - it follows for example that the TWO individuals caught knew that blood testing wouldn't find anything. Go figure!

It's Spring Freda! The daffodils are up and the cherry blossoms are blooming on Memorial Ave. Hell even the browntop is going green around Cutt's Brush!

Why oh why did you pick a race and a horse that I followed!!!! I disagree with your assessment - surprise, surprise! He was constantly tapping the horse to keep up from midway down the back straight, around the bend and in the home straight. On the bend he wasn't going good enough to move out a width and was being tapped up. It looked like the driver pulled the right reign in the straight but the horse ducked in. Where can you look at the Stewards video? If he had been a Jockey he would have got done for excessive whipping!

Hiding in hedges? I hear they have inquired about surplus military drones and sniffer dogs from Afghanistan: So you agree INCA was a waste of time? Aren't you exaggerating about the "handful" - weren't a couple of them done for matters outside of racing but were easy kills for the RIU who up until then were batting 0.000?

I've never said that - strange that you would want that given your stance. Perhaps the RIU should lift their game, take a more proactive approach to improve our testing protocols (including redefining zero), addressing issues with environmental contamination and a positive stance educating Trainers and stakeholders. Yeah na - they prefer to hide in hedges wearing flak jackets and flying drones.

NZTR Board Cameron George Bernard Saundry (ex-Officio) Jason Fleming Bruce Sharrock Mike Clarke Darryll Park Andrew Fairgray Bruce Sherwin Will Sharrock be stepping down now that he is an employee? Members Council Paul Humphries Geoff Vazey Nigel Tiley Eliott Cooper John Thompson Jeff McCaull Howard Clarke Karyn Fenton-Ellis Bernard Hickey CAVEAT: Those details are from the Luurrve Racing website so might not have been changed since 1993.

Prof. Irvine in a 1991 paper presented to the World Trotting Conference in Auckland reported "Bicarbonate dosing has been used successfully to counteract the effects of strenuous exercise in animals and man according to papers published in scientific journals for the last 60 years..." he goes on to say "several of the older papers gave inconsistent results between horses and I wasn’t convinced of its usefulness in postponing fatigue. In most papers about 30% performed better, 50% showed no change and 20% were upset by treatment and performed worse...." and later "Some research that I have done may provide the explanation for this inconclusive result. Firstly the amount of bicarbonate has to be sufficient to counteract the excess acid produced by exercise which is around 600 grams. The average dose of sodium bicarbonate in the British Veterinary Codex is 60 grams. In the research papers the highest dose given was 135 grams per horse. The amount of sodium bicarbonate used in milkshakes is 300 grams which is a very large quantity compared with usual medical doses. The doses of around 100 grams used in most experiments would show little elevation of blood bicarbonate and neutralises only a fraction of the 600 grams of lactic acid produced so it isn’t surprising that those experiments showed inconsistent effects on performance although there was still a marked improvement in some horses,". In another report published in the Australian Standardbred (Nov 91) and headed "Benefits of sodium bicarbonate on racing standardbreds" it is stated "the February edition of the AEVA’s Veterinarian...describes the effect of sodium bicarbonate given just prior to racing of standardbreds. Twenty two standardbreds were paired and participated in a crossover trial when competing in two races at least a week apart. They were treated with 300mg/kg NaHco3 orally 2 1/2 hours before racing or with a placebo of salt and dextrose. The treatments were switched for the second race. Blood tests and lactate were measured before and after racing. Results: Racing times were a mean 1.1 seconds faster in those treated with NaHC03 and blood pH was significantly elevated .Notably, post exercise lactate clearance rates were significantly enhanced in treated horses." In a study by Lawrence (cited by Dr Phillip Swann in his book "Performance Drugs In Sport") on thoroughbreds racing one mile the results showed that milkshakes improved the performance of racehorses by 1.6 to 5.2 seconds with an average of 2.8 seconds. However, the control group of horse in the same experiment who were dosed with a placebo of sugar,salt, corn syrup and water also showed an improvement between 0.6 to 2.4 seconds an average of 1.1 seconds. It was concluded that that milkshakes elevated blood pH and tended to improve the performance of 8 of the horses but to reduce performance of 6 of the horses. Further on Dr Swann indicates that it appears that bicarbonate drenches will have minor effects on scientifically trained horses and they can effect (either beneficially or adversely) traditionally trained horses. In the same chapter Dr Swann canvasses the effect (if any) of bicarbonate on overtrained horses.

Nup I would say based on the evidence and the balance of probabilities the horse was definitely not deliberately "milkshaked". On the balance of probabilities yes. You only have to look at some of the natural levels found in horses. Why do you think the effort was made to get the extra test results? They were looking for a pattern that the horse had naturally high levels of TCO2. As it was the results were all over the place - the variance in itself tells a story. The assessed natural range is 28 to 33 mm/l. Do you understand what TCO2 actually measures? It isn't measuring the amount of bicarbonate which is HCO3 it is measuring the Total Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the bloodstream. The theory is that the bicarb increases the level of CO2 in the blood but then there are other things that do that - like exercise! By the way if you didn't have CO2 in your blood you would be dead. Correct. But many Trainers aren't that bright are they? Well that's the reality of modern testing regimes - assuming that the testing protocols in place are utilising modern technology. The point is @the galah the testers don't need to know the exact PED that is being used before they test. What they do need to know is to identify the anomalies against a standard control sample. With modern chemical assays a spike anomaly would occur. They then further isolate what caused that spike. Hell they can find micro molecules of morphine. Do you know how small 38mmol/l is? Correct unless they are negligent or dumb. Do you honestly think that with over $10m spent on Inca and a whole lot of egos and reputations on the line that they didn't test the crap out every blood sample they could find? Mind you they are probably like you and believe that Trainers in NZ have access to the very best chemists in the world. Why not since there is just so so much money to be won in NZ!

So is Saundry making the decisions? WHO makes the stakes distribution decision? Saundry and George? Why don't the rank and file trainers withdraw their horses until it changes? Perhaps we are seeing that with all the midweek withdrawals.

In my opinion TCO2 testing is being done for the wrong reasons. Not because it is performance enhancing, which it isn't, but because tubing a horse is seen by the wider public as abhorrent and because of the mistaken belief that "milkshaking" assists in masking other PED's. Tubing a horse or indeed any livestock is a common and widely used technique to deliver safely and quickly therapeutic medicines to the stomach of a horse. There are many life threatening conditions where it is used e.g. colic. Yes for the uninitiated or the ill informed seeing it done or hearing it done in a stable before or on a racecourse would be appalling to them. However you can bet your bottom dollar that the racecourse vet has a tube in their truck ready to administer medication quickly if a horse is in distress. Calling it a milkshake is a reference to the bicarb - but as I mentioned above if you have a horse is severed distress from lactic acid buildup then administering a large dose of bicarb can relieve that distress. There are probably better more expensive alkalising agents to use. It used to be common practice to put bicarb mixed in with feeds to alleviate tying up syndrome however a more scientific approach has developed with numerous electrolyte replacement formulations being available. In fact many high energy feeds have an acid neutralising agent added. The other issue is that it was believed that milkshaking masked the detection of PED's. That may have been true 30 years ago or even 15 years ago but drug testing processes and techniques have advanced so far that it is near impossible to administer a drug that won't show up as an anomaly in a blood test. The level of detection is so accurate now that today's zero is much much lower than 15 years ago. Yet have the rules or the RIU/RIB testing regimes adjusted? Nope - that would require work. It is far easier to nail someone when you literally find a few molecules of a prohibited substance. Wouldn't the RIU/RIB make more progress in eliminating drug cheating (not that it is apparent there is much in NZ) by promoting the fact the from a physiological aspect and backed up by research that "milkshaking" makes no difference to a horses performance and that you are wasting your time? Or educating Trainers that modern testing processes can detect ANY anomaly in a blood sample therefore it is an exercise in futility to attempt to administer anything? Getting back to the Boyle's and Lord Beaver - yes the horse returned a TCO2 test that was 2mm/l over. First positive in 40 years of training, no evidence of deliberate cheating, no evidence of any financial gain and according to the research no advantage gained in the horse performance. Bam - $12k thanks. End result two good old school honest trainers go - thinking this is too tough, feeling ashamed and embarrassed, get rid of their horses and hang the bridle on the wall to gather dust. All good the RIB says - "We got the bastards and we sent a message to the industry." Meanwhile INCA returns nothing and the Trainer ranks and the race fields in another community have shrunk. Oh but the RIB needs another $6m year to do its job properly! Give me a break!

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0737080620303725?via%3Dihub Abstract Sodium bicarbonate administration in the hours prior to exercise has been used as a performance-enhancing substance in horses since the late 1980s. Although sodium bicarbonate administration to racehorses 24 hours before racing is a banned practice in most racing industries, whether or not it improves running performance in racehorses is currently unclear. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to establish whether or not acute sodium bicarbonate administration improves running performance in trained Standardbred and Thoroughbred horses. Seven randomized controlled trials, including eight experimental (exercise) trials and 74 horses, were included after a comprehensive search for relevant studies that met the inclusion criteria. Results indicated that sodium bicarbonate administration at 2.5–5 hours prior to a standardized treadmill test to exhaustion or simulated race (time-trial) does not influence running performance (number of horses, the overall effect [95% CI]: 32, –0.13 [–0.64 to 0.37] and 42, 0.01 [–0.42 to 0.44], respectively, both P > .05). The included studies demonstrated minimal heterogeneity (I2 = 0%–2%), low risks of bias according to the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and a lack of publication bias. On the basis of these findings, there is high-quality evidence to suggest that sodium bicarbonate administration does not improve running performance in trained Standardbred or Thoroughbred horses.

It’s time to stop horsing around with baking soda, findings suggest November 25, 2020 Horsetalk.co.nz 0 Comments Share File image. By H. Hach from Pixabay » Put the baking soda back in the bottle: Banned “milkshakes” don’t make racehorses faster– Author commentary “Milkshaking” horses — the practice of giving them a baking soda concoction — is a risky exercise that does not improve performance, researchers in Australia have concluded. Sodium bicarbonate “milkshakes” have been used as a supposed performance-enhancing substance in horses in the hours before exercise since the late 1980s. “Although sodium bicarbonate administration to racehorses 24 hours before racing is a banned practice in most racing industries, whether or not it improves running performance in racehorses is currently unclear,” Joshua Denham and Adam Hulme noted in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Denham, a lecturer in exercise science at RMIT University in Melbourne, and Adam Hulme, a research fellow at the University of the Sunshine Coast, set out to review available scientific evidence on the practice to learn if it improved running performance in trained Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds. Denham and Hulme noted that sodium bicarbonate loading is commonly achieved using a tube via the nose to enter the stomach. “Those in the industry refer to sodium bicarbonate by the lay term, ‘milkshake’. “Although the administration of ‘milkshakes’ to racehorses within 24 hours of racing violates the rules, and despite regular race-day screening by governing officials, it remains an issue in modern horseracing. “The practice can also be distressing to the animal and cause serious harm if not performed correctly.” While minor side effects include digestive upsets and lacerations to the nasopharyngeal structures from the tube, there can be much more serious consequences such as death when the tube erroneously enters the trachea rather than the esophagus, flooding the lungs with a concentrated solution. For their review, the pair conducted a comprehensive search for relevant studies that met their criteria. They found seven randomized controlled trials suitable for inclusion comprising experimental exercise-based trials involving 74 horses. The results indicated that sodium bicarbonate administration 2.5 to 5 hours before a standardized treadmill test to exhaustion, or a simulated time-trial, did not influence running performance. “There is high-quality evidence to suggest that sodium bicarbonate administration does not improve running performance in trained Standardbred or Thoroughbred horses,” they concluded. Discussing their findings, the authors noted that despite the risk to racehorses, and the practice being banned 24 hours before racing in most countries, some trainers continued to administer milkshakes for a perceived performance edge. They said acute sodium bicarbonate administration did not improve running performance measured in time to exhaustion in treadmill exercise trials. In fact, analysis indicated a very small negative effect. Nor did it influence running performance as judged by a simulated race. “The results from the present study directly oppose the common beliefs that milkshakes enhance running performance in racehorses,” they said. “The authors cannot think of another reason why individuals would administer milkshakes to their racehorses if not for the potential performance benefits, although not all human beliefs are justified scientifically.”

Correct. Good to see you are keeping up. Research has shown next to no advantage in a range of race distances. Certainly no advantage in shirt races. Why? Basic physiology and biochemistry. There is a delay in the production and accumulation of lactic acid which the alkalising agent neutralises. The Lord Beaver race was 1,500m. Lactic acid is produced late when the horse is in an anaerobic state. Lactic Acid is produced only when the energy production process has run out of oxygen. It is extremely unlikely that an extra 2mm/l measured 90 minutes before Lord Beaver raced would have made any difference to his performance. The theory is it improved stamina but it certainly can't make a horse faster. The reason bicarb is more therapeutic than performance enhancing is because the lactic acid has been produced and has accumulated in muscle tissue via transport in the blood. In a horse this is over the back and rump. The large dose of alkalising agent helps to neutralise the accumulated acid and give relief to the horse.

Please @KickintheKods philosophy is just too much when I'm trying to listen to the OZ Racing Review. Does anyone know if there is a NZ one I can listen to as I puruse my old Informants and Friday Flashes. Shit I'm losing it I mentioned Flash.....a vision of JJ in a Salvation Army uniform banging a drum and blowing a trumpet....

But WHO sits at the Stakes carve up table? I realise I could probably find out by diving into the wealth of documentation and information on the Luuurrve Racing website but I was hoping someone could save a few hours of my life.... Which I hope to use listening to the two+ hour racing review on SKY Sports Radio 2KY starting soon.

I'm just concerned that if they don't start soon @Pitman will have to revise his travel budget upwards.

Aside from who is the nutcase and who actually runs HQ I gather you are making an oblique inference that one Molly names a Sri Lanken terrorist?

I didn't realise you had an identity.

Who names who?

I liked the way he won first up fresh at Caulfield with some ease. Not many NZ horses do that unless they are special. But not much form out of that race.

Speaking of Riccarton aren't we supposed to be seeing racing there now?

Before I answer that question consider why is a TCO2 infringement treated more severely than other "positives"? As for your questions TCO2 is an inexact science in my opinion. Perhaps someone put an extra couple of spoonfuls in the feed? There was no evidence of tubing and for that procedure to have any impact on performance it would have to be done on raceday. There was no bicarb found on the property. As with many of these cases follow the money I.e. who gained financially and by how much? In this case as in many others there was zero evidence of financial gain. No betting irregularities, no set up to sell the horse (who would want to pay big money to buy an R75 6 yr old gelding) and the Stakes on offer were pitiful. The horse only won $1,100! An alternative option is that the administration was done by a third party with ill intent. Or we get back to the inexact science of TCO2 measurement. If you look at all the TCO2 tests done on the horse you can see that the levels vary widely. There is conflicting evidence that milkshaking makes any difference to race performance although there is evidence that it has therapeutic value in the treatment of tying up.