'I feel completely hard done by' - trainer fumes at IHRB as Galway Hurdle favourite is withdrawn after positive sample emerges

Katy Brown has accused the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board of harassing her and her staff over the past week and said the regulator didn't want the gambled-on Petrol Head running in the Guinness Galway Hurdle because of his historic connection to the warned-off Ronan McNally.

Petrol Head, who had been heavily backed from overnight prices as big as 16-1 into clear favourite for Thursday's showpiece at as low as 5-1, was dramatically withdrawn after it emerged he tested positive for a prohibited substance when winning at Bellewstown last month.

He was previously owned and trained by McNally, who is serving a 12-year ban for integrity breaches with the final four years suspended on appeal.

Petrol Head earned a guaranteed slot in the field for the €270,000 showpiece when he won the Bellewstown race and was allocated at least 10st in the handicap for the Galway Hurdle. He had won three of his last four, including two this summer for Brown.

He had been one of the horses central to the IHRB's case against County Armagh native McNally, who was found to own the horse when it was running for David Dunne despite not being correctly registered as such. Petrol Head currently runs for Brown in the ownership of Orchard Garden Syndicate, as does Full Noise, who was also central to the IHRB's McNally case.

Katy Brown: trainer of Petrol HeadCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Brown has subsequently indicated that the substance in the finding is clenbuterol and that it was identified via a hair sample, which can throw up substances dating back across a much longer timespan than a urine sample. Clenbuterol is banned on raceday but is a commonly used equine medicinal substance. It is the key ingredient in Ventipulmin, which is used to treat respiratory issues.

Brown insists she didn't administer any prohibited substance to Petrol Head, and said that the regulator didn't want Petrol Head in the Galway Hurdle due to the adverse publicity it might attract. She insists there is currently "no connection" between Petrol Head and McNally.

“There is no connection there," Brown said on Thursday. "That horse was leased by the Orchard Garden Syndicate. They own other horses with me as well, that have always been with me. So there's no connection there, no connection whatsoever. Horseracing is full of rumours, that's the way it's always been.

"The lads who own that horse actually lease that horse off somebody and basically, we've been completely hard done by."

Ronan McNally: former owner and trainer of Petrol HeadCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Of the positive finding, she said: "The hair samples go back a while, so therefore I definitely didn't give the horse anything anyway. They [the IHRB] didn't want that horse to run in that race, they were afraid he would win.

"I feel completely hard done by. I'd like to know how many other hair samples are being taken from that race. They obviously knew I was going for the Galway Hurdle after the horse ran in Bellewstown and they didn't stop until they got some little inkling somewhere.

"I brought that horse to the beach on Monday down in Wexford. I was followed to the beach by the IHRB. I went to Lissadell vets with the horse, I was followed up there by the IHRB. You have no idea what's been going on the last week.

"I've had a nightmare of a week with the IHRB. They've been chasing me around the country. They've been harassing my staff.

“Obviously I know they were looking for medical records for the Galway Hurdle, all the way back to January.

“They never told me until 12 o'clock that the horse couldn't run, and basically all that showed up in that horse's sample was clenbuterol, which is a syrup. It actually showed up in a hair sample, not in the urine.

"My opinion is they're only like this because of the horse's previous owner and trainer. That horse has a profile. I'm not an eejit. I know rumours going around and whatever. That horse is always going to have a profile. I was lucky enough to get to train him but I just feel, because of who used to own and train him, I'm getting the backlash of it.

"I'm looking at comments the whole time on betting sites, the ex-Ronan McNally trained; that horse has run twice for me and won twice. Why not say 'has won two races for new trainer?'

"I can assure you I trained winners before I got him and I'll train winners after I get him. They just didn't want that horse to run and that's it. It's as simple as that. And what they found in the sample, how it reads, it doesn't match what was found and the circumstances."

David Dunne: received a two-year suspension from training for his role in the Ronan McNally caseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

In response, an IHRB spokesperson said: "This is an ongoing investigation into a serious matter and the IHRB is satisfied that it has been and will continue to be conducted in a thorough and professional manner in accordance with our established procedures."

McNally's appeal was largely dismissed against the original findings, which were wide-ranging and included using the racecourse as a training ground by running horses insufficiently schooled in order to obtain handicap marks not reflective of their ability.

The original referral established that he had intentionally concealed his ownership of horses in Dunne's training yard and orchestrated a "manipulation of their official handicap ratings". All Class and Full Noise landed notable gambles under Dunne's name but both were found to be owned by McNally and subsequently ran in his name. As well as his lengthy warning off, he was charged with €50,000 in costs and ordered to return over €13,000 in prize-money.

On Thursday, following sustained market support throughout the morning, it emerged that a screening sample following Petrol Head's Bellewstown win had thrown up a positive test. Brown has yet to decide if she will exercise the option to have the B sample tested.

An IHRB statement said: "Following notification from LGC Laboratories of a screening finding in a post-race sample taken from Petrol Head at Bellewstown on July 6, 2024, the IHRB immediately commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the screening finding.

"At 11am on Thursday, August 1, the IHRB received confirmation from LGC Laboratories of the presence of a prohibited substance in the sample taken at Bellewstown. As a result of this confirmation of a prohibited substance and following the IHRB investigation into the matter, the directors of the IHRB have withdrawn Petrol Head from the Galway Hurdle under the provisions of rule 21 of the rules of racing. The IHRB will not be commenting any further on the matter until the disciplinary process is complete."

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