Non Raceday Request for a Ruling – Written Decision dated 7 June 2024 – BET N WIN

BACKGROUND:

Information No. A16934 has been filed by Senior Racing Investigator, Simon Irving, against Licensed Public Trainers (Partnership), David John White and Stacey Anne Catherine White, alleging that, as the Trainers of BET N WIN (4 B g What The Hill – Factor The Odds), they “did take that horse to a racecourse for the purpose of engaging in a race which was found to have administered to it a Prohibited Substance, namely Triamcinolone, which must be disqualified from the race”.

The horse was taken to the North Canterbury TOA Trials at Rangiora Raceway on 10 April 2024 and competed in and won Race 11, FFA Trot (R37 & faster).

“Race” means “a trotting or pacing race or competition whether licensed under the Racing Industry Act 2020 or not” and “Race Meeting” means “any meeting at which horse racing takes place”.

Mr Irving has filed with the Adjudicative Committee, an email in the following terms received by him from Mr & Mrs White:

Hi Simon

No worries at all with the delay. We are happy with the agreed statement of facts.

Thank you for helping us through this matter.

Regards David and Stacey

THE RULE:

Rule 1004E(1) provides:

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.

THE FACTS

The Summary of Facts is agreed by Mr & Mrs White and is as follows:

1.  The Respondents, David and Stacey White hold a Public Trainers Partnership Licence issued by Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ).

2.  At 12.45pm on 10 April 2024, the horse BET N WIN was pre-race blood tested prior to starting at the North Canterbury TOA Trials at Rangiora Raceway.

3.  BET N WIN is a 4yo gelding trained by David & Stacey White and owned by a syndicate of a number of owners. Prior to the trial, the trotter had raced 10 times for three wins.

4.  On 22 April 2024, New Zealand Racing Laboratory Services (NZRLS) issued a Certificate of Analysis detailing the blood sample positive to the drug Triamcinolone Acetonide.

5.  Triamcinolone is a potent, long-acting, synthetic glucocorticoid widely used in equine veterinary medicine as a steroidal anti-inflammatory.

6.  Triamcinolone is a Prohibited Substance (1.2.37) within the meaning of the Rules and its presence in a Raceday or trial sample is, prima facie, a breach of the Rules.

Circumstances

7.  On 26 April 2024, RIB Investigators interviewed the Whites at their Stables at Stonewall Stud.

8.  It was established that, on 27 March 2024, Veterinarian Dr R Smith attended the stables to examine BET N WIN. Dr Smith injected three of the horse’s joints with a total of 20mg of “Kenacort”, which contains Triamcinolone.

9.  The injected joints were the right-hind distal intertarsal, the right-hind tarsometatarsal and the left-hind tarsometatarsal.

10.  The horse received no further medication prior to trialling 13 clear days later, on 10 April 2024. It then raced a further eight days later when it won, returning a clear swab.

11.  Both the Trainers and the Veterinarian believed the recommended withhold time for this treatment was 12 clear days, per the New Zealand Equine Vet Association (NZVA) advisory.

12.  In June 2023, NZVA published ‘Appendix A’ detailing recommendations for intra-articular triamcinolone injections. The two relevant paragraphs are:

            (c) 12 Clear days: When injecting one tarsometatarsal joint using 10 mg triamcinolone, or a combination of tarsometatarsal and distal intertarsal joints to a maximum of two joints and combined dose of 20 mg triamcinolone. Injecting the distal intertarsal joint space cleanly requires special care. Note the two joints communicate up to 60% of the time.

            (d) 16 Clear days: When injecting three to four joints of any combination of intercarpal, tarsometatarsal, fetlocks and coffins using up to 10mg per joint. 

13.  Dr Smith was of the opinion that, as she was only injecting 20mg into joints she understood to be communicating, then her actions incorporated paragraph (c) with a withhold time of 12 clear days, but acknowledges the interpretation of paragraph (d).

14.  RIB Veterinary Advisor, Dr Andrew Grierson, was consulted regarding the circumstances and the interpretation of the two relevant paragraphs. He advised that, in the latest NZVA Withdrawal Times List, the recommendation is 16 clear days when injecting three or four joints of any combination of intercarpal, tarsometatarsal, fetlocks and coffins using up to 10mg Triamcinolone per joint. Whilst acknowledging in this case the joints were two tarsometatarsal and one distal intertarsal joint, the total dose was 20mg Triamcinolone, and the distal intertarsal joint naturally intercommunicates with the tarsometatarsal joint 60% of the time, these three injections should have been administered at no less than 16 clear days.

Conclusion

15.  The Trainers had no knowledge of the potential 16 clear days withhold and trusted the instruction of the Veterinarian that, by trialling after 13 days, BET N WIN would be clear of the recommended 12-day withhold period. For this reason, the Whites have been neither careless nor neglectful and should not be culpable for the positive sample.

16.  The matter of the wording of the Appendix is now under Veterinarian review.

17.  The Whites have no previous breaches of the Prohibited Substance Rule or any other HRNZ Rules in their six years in partnership. Mr White previously held a Licence in New South Wales.

18.  BET N WIN trialled with the presence of a Prohibited Substance and therefore a Ruling is sought from the Adjudicative Committee requesting the horse be disqualified from Race 11 of the North Canterbury TOA Meeting at Rangiora on 10 April 2024 pursuant to HRNZ Rule 1004E(1).

19.  The Whites consent to the disqualification of the horse from the trial concerned.

RULING:

The Adjudicative Committee is satisfied that the horse, BET N WIN, was taken to Rangiora Raceway on 10 April 2024 for the purpose of engaging in and did engage in Race 11, FFA Trot (R37 and faster), which was found to have administered to it a Prohibited Substance – namely, Triamcinolone – and, accordingly, the Adjudicative Committee is required to, and does, order that the horse be disqualified from the race.

The Adjudicative Committee notes that the Trainers, Mr & Mrs White, consent to the disqualification.

DISQUALIFICATION OF HORSE:

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

1st    6   Mr Love

2nd   3   Ti Amo Belle

3rd    5   Starlight Gazer

4th    2   Bellerophonte