Seven horses were tested and found out to be positive for anabolic steroids that were trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni according to the British Horseracing Authority and one includes Encke, the St. Leger winner from 2012 and comes the same week as the Preakness in America.
The race in the US saw the Triple Crown dream shattered by jockey Gary Stevens and the horse Oxbow, who took the Preakness Stakes over Orb, who won the Kentucky Derby. The steroids tests came after Godolphin trainer Al Zarooni was already given an eight year ban after 11 horses tested positive.
Blood samples were taken from 391 horses at the stables of Al Zarooni and Saeed bin Suroor, who also trains for Godolphin owner and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in the town best known as the headquarters of British flat racing. The BHA said in a statement that no separate action would be taken "in respect of these additional positive results whilst Mr Al Zarooni's appeal process is on-going". No date has been set for the appeal.
The scandal has caused serious embarrassment to Sheikh Mohammed. The BHA accused Emirati Zarooni of "deliberately flouting" the rules and a "widespread systematic misuse of illegal substances". l Zarooni, appointed Godolphin's second British-based trainer in 2010, won the Dubai World Cup - the world's richest horse race - in March last year and followed up by landing the prestigious St Leger with Encke at Doncaster in September.
Following Al Zarooni's disciplinary hearing, the BHA conducted tests on all Godolphin-owned horses in training in Newmarket. "Whatever the outcome of his appeal before the independent Appeal Board, the gravity and scale of the infringements warranted Mahmood Al Zarooni being removed from control of the yard as quickly as possible."
The scandal has caused serious embarrassment to Sheikh Mohammed. The BHA accused Emirati Zarooni of "deliberately flouting" the rules and a "widespread systematic misuse of illegal substances".
(Reuters quotes)
