First the Dogs and now our Gallopers are on Methamphetamine!

[Chief Stipe]

 

Two top racehorses test positive for meth at Anzac Day race meeting

Martin Van Beynen15:38, May 19 2021

Alhambra Lad wins Race 5 at Awapuni on Anzac Day. The horse later tested positive for methamphetamine.

Two winning thoroughbred horses trained by one of the country’s top trainers tested positive for methamphetamine at a race meeting on Anzac Day.

The horses, Alhambra Lad and Reliable Miss, won their races at the Awapuni racecourse in Palmerston North on April 25. The races had stakes of $10,000 each.

They were trained by Taranaki’s Allan Sharrock, 57, who is in the top six thoroughbred trainers in the current New Zealand season. He has 867 career wins to his credit and has won more than $14 million in stakes.

GRANT MATTHEW/STUFF

Racehorse trainer Allan Sharrock says he is stunned by positive methamphetamine tests.

Sharrock says he is adamant the horses arrived at the Awapuni racecourse “100 per cent clean” and hopes further tests that have been taken will clear his name.

 

Racing Integrity Unit (RIU) head Mike Godber confirmed the organisation was investigating the Anzac Day positive tests.

“We’ve opened an investigation and that’s all we can say. MPI (Ministry of Primary Industries) have been advised.”

Reliable Miss wins Race 6 at Awapuni on Anzac Day. The horse later tested positive for methamphetamine.

A decision about whether to alert police would be made at the conclusion of the RIU’s investigation, Godber said.

“There may be nothing relevant that comes out of our investigation.”

The race results would stand until the RIU’s investigation was completed, he said.

An MPI spokesman said: “We are aware of this matter and are investigating.”

 

LOVERACING.NZ

Reliable Miss, on the right, wins Race 6 at Awapuni on Anzac Day.

The positive tests in Sharrock’s horses come soon after Foxton greyhound trainer Angela Turnwald was last month fined $3500 and disqualified for four months after her dog Zipping Sarah tested positive for meth after a race on November 12 in Christchurch.

Sharrock said he was absolutely sure Alhambra Lad and Reliable Miss left his stables clean. They remained in perfect health after the Anzac Day meeting, and one was racing this coming Saturday.

He said he could only assume the horses came into contact with meth at the Awapuni yards, which were vulnerable because they did not have cameras, security or locks, and no clean sawdust.

“The contamination could be in the box (a temporary stable) even before we put the horse in there,” he said.

“I’ve got to clear my name. It’s embarrassing. Our industry is disgraceful, the amount of methamphetamine in the racing game.

 

“And it’s unfair on owners when their horses are taken to the races drug-free and you come up with a positive for methamphetamine ...

“It’s a scourge, it’s an indictment on our industry and on our society. It’s everywhere.”

Sharrock said he, all his staff, his partner, the float driver and the person who helped him saddle up the horses had been tested for meth and had come up “clean as a whistle”.

 

DON SCOTT/STUFF

Racing Integrity Unit head Mike Godber has confirmed positive meth tests in two horses.

“So where does that lead us? The industry is not good enough. They left here 100 per cent.

“I’ve had a lot of my good colleagues, the ones that matter in the game, saying it’s a crock of s..., ‘we could all be tarnished with this at any time’.

“I’m walking around thinking people think I’m a cheat. I’ve never cheated in my life.”

It was frustrating that no-one could tell him if the horses had actually been affected by the meth, he said.

The chief executive of Taranaki Racing Carey Hobbs said Sharrock had been with the organisation for 40 years and had a clean record as far as he knew.

“It’s a shock for everyone. My personal view is that contamination has occurred somewhere at the Awapuni racecourse. It’s not the first and won't be the last.

“Racing can ill-afford adverse publicity and hopefully they will find out how it happened.”

 

 

LOVERACING.NZ

Alhambra Lad winning Race 5 at Awapuni on Anzac Day.

Hobbs said three horses from three different trainers had returned positive meth tests at the New Plymouth racecourse about two years ago. The cause was never found, he said.

Meth has claimed some big scalps among jockeys but horses testing positive is rare.

In 2014 a Manawatu horse trainer was disqualified from training horses for three years after her horse was the first in New Zealand to test positive for methamphetamine.

Last week MPI confirmed it had launched an investigation into the drugging of greyhound Zipping Sarah.

On Wednesday Racing Minister Grant Robertson said doping and race fixing were completely unacceptable.

“Our racing industry relies on horses being properly cared for and not subjected to doping or any other substance.

“More needs to be done, which is why a new Racing Integrity Board is being set up to replace the current integrity system. It will be in place by July 1.”

Animal welfare group SAFE is questioning why police have not been involved in the investigation considering an illegal drug had been detected.

Chief executive Debra Ashton was dismayed to learn of the positive tests so soon after a similar greyhound controversy.

“It’s a reflection of a really desperate industry.”

 

She was surprised there had not been “serious action” taken and called for an independent investigation.

Ashton urged the New Zealand public to question the price animals were paying to run around a track, and to stop betting on greyhound and horse races.

 

[Chief Stipe]

Environmental contamination AGAIN!

Sharrock's comments are right on the button.

Time to up security on all our courses.  Come in NZTR and Clubs!!!

What better way to knobble our industry than knobbling our livestock.

[LongOwner]

10 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Environmental contamination AGAIN!

Sharrock's comments are right on the button.

Time to up security on all our courses.  Come in NZTR and Clubs!!!

What better way to knobble our industry than knobbling our livestock.

 

[Gammalite]

12 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Environmental contamination AGAIN!

Sharrock's comments are right on the button.

Time to up security on all our courses.  Come in NZTR and Clubs!!!

What better way to knobble our industry than knobbling our livestock.

What will be the penalty Chief? said a Manawatu Trainer got 3 years DQ for Meth in 2014. that must be from a guilty plea by someone?

The greyhound's dog trainer Turnwald has 4 month's DQ and wasn't even travelling with the dog.

Chris Waller (Syd) had a horse disqualified from a 2nd placing pos+ Meth swab, in 2016 , and received a massive $30,000 fine. no DQ. He has a rather large operation, 100's of horses, well over 100 staff. guess they somehow worked out it was a knobbling. Is quite indifferent penalties though , depending who and where you are ?.

[LongOwner]

11 minutes ago, LongOwner said:

 

Who is feeding MVB?

It must be a trainer close to a RIU investigator , RIU staff member - insider , or someone who gets the info and runs to The Press/Stuff .

Now since gallops and harness have experienced the poison MBV pen they should find the leaker and charge them.

Grow some and go after the snitcher !!

[Chief Stipe]

29 minutes ago, Gammalite said:

What will be the penalty Chief? said a Manawatu Trainer got 3 years DQ for Meth in 2014. that must be from a guilty plea by someone?

The greyhound's dog trainer Turnwald has 4 month's DQ and wasn't even travelling with the dog.

Chris Waller (Syd) had a horse disqualified from a 2nd placing pos+ Meth swab, in 2016 , and received a massive $30,000 fine. no DQ. He has a rather large operation, 100's of horses, well over 100 staff. guess they somehow worked out it was a knobbling. Is quite indifferent penalties though , depending who and where you are ?.

Well in this latest case Sharrock couldn't be classed as a quiet backfoot sort of guy.

I've said often that the issue of environmental contamination or nefarious administration of drugs is a time bomb.  

No trainer in their right mind would administer a drug such as P expecting to get past a post race urine or blood test. 

Now ultimately under the rules as they are currently written the Trainer has to wear the punishment.  Which escalates each time there is an offence.  It is damn near impossible in the New Zealand environment to protect your horse 100% of the time.  

[Chief Stipe]

10 minutes ago, LongOwner said:

Who is feeding MVB?

It must be a trainer close to a RIU investigator , RIU staff member - insider , or someone who gets the info and runs to The Press/Stuff .

Now since gallops and harness have experienced the poison MBV pen they should find the leaker and charge them.

Grow some and go after the snitcher !!

I had the exact same thought.  Although the jungle drums were beating on this a few days ago.  One of the posters on BOAY inferred there was something coming.

[Ludwig]

10 minutes ago, LongOwner said:

Who is feeding MVB?

It must be a trainer close to a RIU investigator , RIU staff member - insider , or someone who gets the info and runs to The Press/Stuff .

Now since gallops and harness have experienced the poison MBV pen they should find the leaker and charge them.

Grow some and go after the snitcher !!

Why go after the journalist? He's just doing his job. Instead, go after the Ratbags in the industry who are causing all the problems. Don't shoot the messenger.

[LongOwner]

2 minutes ago, Ludwig said:

Why go after the journalist? He's just doing his job. Instead, go after the Ratbags in the industry who are causing all the problems. Don't shoot the messenger.

Everyone is entitled to the NZLaw - innocent until proven - but the snitcher doesn’t adhere to that , is bringing the sports into disrepute and the MVB has already been censored by a Judge that he over steps the mark .

So why give MVB oxygen  

[Freda]

The state of the visiting yards/stabling in many places is not up to scratch.

Testing is now so sensitive that the sloppiness of yesteryear just isn't acceptable, and security is nonexistent as well.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Freda

[LongOwner]

I 

5 minutes ago, Ludwig said:

Why go after the journalist? He's just doing his job. Instead, go after the Ratbags in the industry who are causing all the problems. Don't shoot the messenger.

I am going after the snitcher - no one else !

[Ludwig]

11 minutes ago, Freda said:

The state of the visiting yards/stabling in many places is not up to scratch.

Testing is now so sensitive that the sloppiness of yesteryear just isn't acceptable, and security is nonexistent as well.

Off subject, I know, but Freda, how will your horses handle Phar Lap tomorrow.? The whole region is bone dry. 

[the galah]

1 hour ago, LongOwner said:

Who is feeding MVB?

It must be a trainer close to a RIU investigator , RIU staff member - insider , or someone who gets the info and runs to The Press/Stuff .

Now since gallops and harness have experienced the poison MBV pen they should find the leaker and charge them.

Grow some and go after the snitcher !!

 Your always on about someone snitching and just post stuff to divert attention. I've no comment to make about the sharrock case,he seems to talk like an innocent man,but your focus on the press again is just ridiculous.

[Guest Whyisit]

2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Well in this latest case Sharrock couldn't be classed as a quiet backfoot sort of guy.

I've said often that the issue of environmental contamination or nefarious administration of drugs is a time bomb.  

No trainer in their right mind would administer a drug such as P expecting to get past a post race urine or blood test. 

Now ultimately under the rules as they are currently written the Trainer has to wear the punishment.  Which escalates each time there is an offence.  It is damn near impossible in the New Zealand environment to protect your horse 100% of the time.  

one wouldn't have to be an Einstein to figure out the rules of NZTR as above currently give free advertising to any group wishing the downfall of any of the code. You are right when its damn near impossible in the New Zealand environment to protect your horse 100% of the time and keep it SAFE.

Raceday boxes may have been the cause of the contamination yet to be dispelled.

You could understand one box perhaps been P 'eed in but two makes it look a little more difficult but not out of the realms of possibility.

NP cases and now these something just not adding up right.

[Freda]

9 hours ago, Ludwig said:

Off subject, I know, but Freda, how will your horses handle Phar Lap tomorrow.? The whole region is bone dry. 

Hopefully they will manage ok.  Both have wet track form, but have also performed on firm.  One I pulled out that I felt could be vulnerable.

For what it's worth, even a dry track at Timaru won't be jarringly hard like Riccarton can be.

Had a wee wet tracker at Riverton a few years ago, it came up gd 2.  If it hadn't been so far away ( and so expensive to travel  )  I wouldn't have run him.  So, he raced, I chewed my fingernails, and he won.

So, with that behind us, I lined him up at Riccarton some weeks later on a dead 4, thinking he would manage ok.   He didn't.   He felt every step and didn't regain form until he got a genuine wet track.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Freda

[Chief Stipe]

9 hours ago, the galah said:

 Your always on about someone snitching and just post stuff to divert attention. I've no comment to make about the sharrock case,he seems to talk like an innocent man,but your focus on the press again is just ridiculous.

One of our posters goes on about positividdy - did anyone notice how the negative news regarding Sharrock's horses hit the media on the same day as the "historic moment in Cambridge and NZ Racing"?

There is a leak at the RIU.  What is their agenda?

What is MVB and Sherwood's real agenda?

[Guest Whyisit]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

One of our posters goes on about positividdy - did anyone notice how the negative news regarding Sharrock's horses hit the media on the same day as the "historic moment in Cambridge and NZ Racing"?

I would have thought it would lesson the impact in the media of the positives kinda a deflection of sorts. 
It looks worse if it’s hidden for months and everybody in the industry knows it .

[Chief Stipe]

6 minutes ago, Whyisit said:

I would have thought it would lesson the impact in the media of the positives kinda a deflection of sorts. 
It looks worse if it’s hidden for months and everybody in the industry knows it .

I don't disagree.  In this particular case the tom tom drums were beating.  I question the timing though of the article and the journalists real agenda.  In my opinion MVB has been orchestrating a hit job on racing for some time now.  Even been rebuked by a High Court Judge for his approach.

That said I see no comments from NZTR - were they asked for comment?

For all we know Sharrock may have gone on the front foot on this.  Good on him if he has.  Media management 101 - control the story as soon as you can.

[Chief Stipe]

An interesting observation.

When Te Akau returned a positive to morphine all the knives came out.  Finger pointing, wink wink nudge nudge, yeah right.

Sharrock's stable returns TWO positives to methamphetamine (P).  Comparative silence.

[Huey]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

An interesting observation.

When Te Akau returned a positive to morphine all the knives came out.  Finger pointing, wink wink nudge nudge, yeah right.

Sharrock's stable returns TWO positives to methamphetamine (P).  Comparative silence.

Different scenario entirely imo, particularly with the NP M cases having already been identified.

One thing I've noticed is the TA situation was kept very quiet in the media , this one no problem being thrown out there , why is that?

[Chief Stipe]

16 minutes ago, Huey said:

One thing I've noticed is the TA situation was kept very quiet in the media , this one no problem being thrown out there , why is that?

Many possible reasons for that. 

It would appear the Te Akau situation was handled by a different group at the RIU.  Perhaps one not prone to feeding the media.  The media only "keep quiet" if not fed.

Although in saying that it would appear at this stage that the media coverage has been similar.  Except Te Akau weren't as "colorful" as Sharrock in their response.

Noticeably the social media response as been muted.  I guess Sharrock isn't a tall enough poppy.

[Chief Stipe]

23 minutes ago, Huey said:

Different scenario entirely imo, particularly with the NP M cases having already been identified.

How is it a "different scenario entirely"?  In my opinion on the face of it the Sharrock case definitely involved a class A drug that conceivably is performance enhancing.  

The irony is the RIU established early that the morphine positive was environmental contamination most likely through feed.

What is clear in the Sharrock case is that there is no possibility of an environmental feed source of methamphetamine I.e. P or its metabolites do not occur naturally in horse feed.

You refer to the New Plymouth case which was never resolved.  What actions did the RIU, Racing Clubs and NZTR take post New Plymouth to prevent possible environmental contamination or deliberate  nefarious administration by errant persons?

[aquaman]

Maybe time for a relook at the Turnwald case, similarity's here are apparent. In view of modern testing getting down to such a low threshold no reasonable person can avoid cross contamination all the time. Especially with the prevalence of P in todays society.

[Chief Stipe]

3 hours ago, aquaman said:

Maybe time for a relook at the Turnwald case, similarity's here are apparent. In view of modern testing getting down to such a low threshold no reasonable person can avoid cross contamination all the time. Especially with the prevalence of P in todays society.

Exactly.  In 2013 the Harness Trainer Nicky Chilcott got done for presenting a horse to race which returned a positive to Tramadol (a synthetic morphine).  Both the industry vet (Grierson) and expert witness Professor Tobin from the USA said that the level was insufficient to affect performance.  Tobin said the level in the blood was the equivalent of 1 second on 320 years!

Testing science has improved markedly since then and very low levels of any substance can be detected.  So the chances of environmental contamination has also increased.

The RIU seem intent on registering scalps, disqualifying and fining Trainers rather than addressing this burgeoning problem.  

Isn't the key to set limits above a zero threshold based on the levels that would affect a 500kg animal?  Obviously with a margin built in rather than just zero.

Added to that is the tests often record the level of metabolites of a prohibited substance which gives a good indication of the quantity that must have been injested originally.

[Thomass]

On 19/05/2021 at 6:20 PM, Chief Stipe said:

Environmental contamination AGAIN!

Sharrock's comments are right on the button.

Time to up security on all our courses.  Come in NZTR and Clubs!!!

What better way to knobble our industry than knobbling our livestock.

Maybe if Big Red stops spitting the dummy and shows up at awards ceremonies, which he's BANNED, he'll be able to chew the fat with the BIG cheeses and tell some home truths...

....until then...in one talanga and out taother...