IHRB rejects claim of not acting on information relating to doping

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) has rejected the suggestion it did not act when contacted by anonymous whistleblowers following claims in the Sunday Independent it failed to take action after being provided with information relating to doping.

In the latest article in a series of anti-doping pieces by journalist Paul Kimmage, there were also claims an English trainer found three of six horses he acquired in Ireland showed evidence of "a number of currently unidentified possible keto steroids", after the trainer commissioned a £10,000 survey from "a distinguished toxicologist".

Jim Bolger was said to have been contacted by the unnamed trainer in the aftermath of his comments last October surrounding his belief there is not a level playing field in Irish racing.

Jim Bolger: believes Irish racing is not a level playing fieldCredit: Patrick McCann

No specific trainer or horses were named in the claims of the anonymous female who contacted Kimmage, but she stated it was "quite a big high-profile trainer [more than a decade ago]".

The anabolic steroids nitrotain and stanozolol – which were central to the previous IHRB convictions against the vet John Hughes, his brother Pat, the well-known former trainer, and current trainer Philip Fenton – were among the illegal substances alleged to have been kept in a cupboard by the trainer who employed the anonymous whistleblower. The individual alleged there was subsequently "not even a yard inspection" from the IHRB.

Representatives from Irish racing's regulator are already due to appear before the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee on Thursday at 9.30am as a result of claims made in the Sunday Independent, with Bolger declining his invitation following legal advice.

The Racing Post asked the IHRB about the veracity of the allegations in Sunday’s article. It did not address those queries directly, with no specific individuals referenced in the article, but a spokesperson for the IHRB said: "As outlined in the Equine Anti-Doping Report published on Friday, we work in collaboration with other racing jurisdictions and statutory agencies including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in sharing intelligence and investigating information received on anti-doping matters.

"Also as we have previously stated, all information provided to the IHRB is assessed and acted upon. All regulatory samples are analysed, any adverse analytical findings are dealt with by the referral’s committee and the decisions published in accordance with the rules of racing."

IHRB: 'As we have previously stated, all information provided to the IHRB is assessed and acted-upon'Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The spokesperson added: "As already stated in the Equine Anti-Doping Report published on Friday, there are ten cases to be dealt with from this year. The IHRB have no outstanding adverse analytical findings involving substances prohibited at all times.

"We look forward to appearing before the joint Oireachtas Committee on Thursday and answering any questions they may have."

Statistics for 2021 (up to and including June 21), revealed on Friday, showed 2,449 samples were taken, of which 1,752 (72 per cent) were taken on the racecourse and at point-to-points, with 697 (28 per cent) taken as part of the IHRB's out-of-competition testing programme.

The report also noted pre-race drug testing is set to be rolled out imminently, along with exploring the possibility of on-arrival testing.

Read more:

Jim Bolger tells committee he will not attend key hearing on doping allegations

Jessica Harrington addresses Jim Bolger's drug cheats claim in Irish racing

Jim Bolger invited to substantiate drug cheat claims at parliamentary hearing

Ger Lyons backs Bolger over anti-doping comments and calls for action

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