Richard Hannon tells Solario hearing 'we did everything humanly possible' to prevent contamination from banned painkiller

Richard Hannon told a disciplinary panel on Tuesday that he had done “everything humanly possible” to ensure his horses were not contaminated with prohibited substances during a hearing into the positive post-race sample given by Etonian.

The Racing Post revealed in July that there was an investigation ongoing into Etonian after he tested positive for the painkiller tramadol when winning the Group 3 Solario Stakes at Sandown in August 2020. 

The panel was informed the positive test was Hannon’s sixth for the painkiller between 2015-2020, with no other trainer having more than one positive test for the substance. In addition, the BHA said that approximately 43,000 samples taken between Etonian running on August 23, 2020 and September 8, 2024 had produced only one positive result for tramadol.

Furthermore, no evidence of tramadol had been found in 400 random samples re-examined by a LGC lab from across the country at a lower screening threshold for the banned substance.

Charles Bott KC, representing the BHA, admitted the authority had made a “blunder” when not instructing Sandown to conduct a full clean out of a box that the Brian Meehan-trained Arthurian Fable had been stabled in after later testing positive for tramadol until after Etonian was housed in the same stable. Bott noted two other Hannon horses had been in the same box in between the two positive tests, but neither had been tested on raceday.

Bott said there was “no evidence of deliberate administration” of tramadol but that Hannon had not taken sufficient steps to ensure there was no contamination from the synthetic substance.

In response, Hannon said staff were frequently reminded to inform the office of any medication they were on, while he also conducted elective testing, had installed CCTV and analysed feed, bedding and water supplied to the horses.

He said: “We have done everything humanly possible but at the end of the day there are areas outside of my control. I cannot do any more. I think we have among the best staff in the country. I think they are reliable and I trust them. Sleeping at night, I have no problem because we are doing nothing wrong.”

Etonian: winner of the 2020 Solario StakesCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Hannon said the latest hearing into a positive test for tramadol at his yard was “an embarrassment” and that everyone at his yard had “looked high and low for an answer”.

The Classic-winning trainer, who was joined at the hearing by Etonian’s owners Julie and Chris Wood, was asked by the panel chair Gareth Graham if his yard had a whistleblowing policy for reporting anyone suspected of taking medication that had not been reported under the yard’s medication disclosure policy.

Hannon confirmed there was one, but that he had faced challenges with some of his employees, and cited a case where one was found with tramadol in his bag before Urban Icon ran at Newmarket.

The final day of the hearing takes place on Wednesday.

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Investigation into positive test result of Richard Hannon-trained Solario winner yet to be concluded nearly four years on

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