Racing Victoria has confirmed it has opened an investigation into claims in the mainstream media that surrogate mares have been used for breeding Thoroughbreds, reports racing.com.
It has been alleged that a surrogate was used for a champion mare who was struggling to conceive and that a surrogate was used to carry a foal that became a multiple Gr1 winner.
“The stewards are in the formative stages of an investigation that relates to thoroughbred breeding,” an RV spokesman said.
“We don’t intend to comment on the specifics of that investigation at this time.”
Mares And Foals (George Stubbs)
The claims were alleged via the Herald Sun whose story includes text messages between a veterinarian and horse owner.
“Glad to say that (horse name redacted) has read the textbook this cycle,” the message says.
“I have done a split AI 6hrs before and during ovulation. The rest is up to her. I have two mares in synchrony so as well as it can be here. Let you know in just over a week if we recover an embryo. (Horse name redacted) still holding a HF but hope to see it move this week and will time nicely with other recips (mares).”
Surrogate pregnancy and artificial insemination are prohibited in international Thoroughbred racing, and this decision was upheld in an Australian court case with a judgment handed down by Justice Robertson in the Federal Court in 2012.
The judgement upheld the rules of the Australian Stud Book relating to the natural breeding of thoroughbred horses and found the Australian Rules of Racing to be valid and enforceable.
