Non Raceday Request for a Ruling – Written Decision dated 27 November 2025 – CARLTON BAY

The standardbred horse, CARLTON BAY (2022 2 Br g Carlton – Jaguar Bay), is trained at Leeston by Licensed Public Trainer, Christopher McDowell.

Information A19858 has been filed by Senior Racing Investigator, Simon Irving, requesting a ruling as follows:

On the 23rd of September 2025 at Ashburton Raceway, CARLTON BAY engaged in Race 2 (2YO Mobile Trot) of the Mid Canterbury TOA trials meeting and was found to have ingested the prohibited substance Aminorex in breach of Rule 1004E (1).

A ruling was sought that CARLTON BAY be disqualified from the race. Mr McDowell has consented to the disqualification.

It has been agreed by the parties that this request for a ruling be determined “on the papers” –that is to say, solely on the basis of the documents filed and evidence filed by the parties, without the need for an oral hearing.

THE RULE:

Rule 1004E provides as follows:

(1) Any horse taken to a racecourse for the purpose of engaging in a race which is found to have administered to it or ingested by it a prohibited substance or an out of competition prohibited substance must be disqualified from that race.

SUMMARY OF FACTS:

Mr Irving filed the following agreed Summary of Facts:

1. The Respondent, Christopher McDowell, is the holder of Public Trainer and Open Driver’s licences issued by Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ).

2. On 23 September 2025, the horse CARLTON BAY finished 2nd in a 2yo qualifying trial (Race 2) at the Mid Canterbury TOA trials at Ashburton Raceway. CARLTON BAY is trained by Mr McDowell and is owned by Tancred Holdings Limited.

3. A pre-race blood sample was taken from the horse for the first time and, on 10 October 2025, New Zealand Racing Laboratory Services (NZRLS) issued a Certificate of Analysis detailing the sample positive to the drug, aminorex.

4. Aminorex is an amphetamine-like stimulant and can be present in a horse’s system from two primary sources – the metabolism of the therapeutic drug levamisole (used for parasite control and to treat viral respiratory infections), or the ingestion of certain plants.

5. Advice from RIB vet advisor Dr Andrew Grierson is that, following the administration of levamisole to a horse, levels of both aminorex and levamisole will be present in plasma. Aminorex is eliminated more quickly than the parent drug. Levamisole is commercially used as an anti-parasiticide or worm drench for sheep, cattle and birds, but there is no drench containing levamisole licensed for use in horses.

6. Dr Grierson also stated that in New Zealand grows the plant barbarea vulgaris (aka “wintercress” or “yellow rocket”), a brassica that contains barbarin compound that converts to aminorex following ingestion in horses. Barbarea vulgaris is bitter and unpleasant to eat, however there have been post-race positives recorded in Australia and the USA from horses ingesting the plant.

7. Aminorex is a Prohibited Substance under clause 1.1.7 and clause 1.2.58 within the meaning of the Rules, and its presence in a race-day sample is, prima facie, a breach of the Rules.

8. On 15 October 2025, the RIB visited the property of Mr McDowell. It was established that Mr McDowell had no Levamisole-containing products at his stables, and he advised that he did not use non-equine wormers, producing evidence of equine oral drench syringes.

9. Upon inspection of his paddocks, including the paddock in which CARLTON BAY grazed, it was evident that barbarea vulgaris was growing plentifully in amongst mallow weed and pasture.

10. Mr McDowell immediately removed CARLTON BAY from access to the plant, and commenced weed control. On 21 October 2025, the horse, and three others, retested clear.

11. On 10 November 2025, “B” sample analysis was completed in Australia, confirming the presence of aminorex and no levamisole. Secondary analysis also identified the presence of resedine, an organic compound found in barbarea vulgaris, supporting the proposition that the source of the aminorex was due to the ingestion of plant material.

12. In the two months prior to CARLTON BAY’s blood sample, four McDowell trained horses swabbed clear, also having grazed paddocks containing the plant.

13. There have been no previous aminorex positives, without the presence of levamisole, in New Zealand racing.

14. Mr McDowell could not be expected to know that the weed growing in his paddocks was barbarea vulgaris, or that consumption of this plant may lead to a prohibited substance breach. For these reasons, he has been neither careless nor negligent and should not be culpable for the positive sample.

15. HRNZ statistics detail that Mr McDowell has held a Trainer’s licence since 2009 and has had 1664 starts (69 wins) with no previous breaches of the Prohibited Substance Rule, or any other HRNZ Rules.

16. CARLTON BAY trialled with the presence of a prohibited substance in its system and, therefore, a ruling is sought from the Adjudicative Committee requesting the horse be disqualified from Race 2 of the Mid Canterbury TOA trials on 23 September 2025, pursuant to Rule 1004E(1).

17. Mr McDowell agrees with the facts as outlined, and consents to the disqualification of CARLTON BAY from the trial.

RULING:

The Adjudicative Committee is satisfied that the horse, CARLTON BAY, trained by Licensed Public Trainer, Chris McDowell, which was taken to the trials meeting at Ashburton Racecourse on 23 September 2025 for the purpose of engaging and did engage in Race 2, 2YO Mobile Trot, was found to have ingested the Prohibited Substance Aminorex and, accordingly, the Adjudicative Committee is required to, under Rule 1004E(1), and does disqualify CARLTON BAY from the race.

The Adjudicative Committee notes that Mr McDowell, Trainer of CARLTON BAY, consents to such disqualification.

Consequent upon the disqualification, the amended result for the race is as follows:

1st Makani