The National Horseracing Authority has been slammed for ‘bureaucratic disingenuity’ by some puzzled owners and trainers who received a vague cautionary notice published on Friday in regard to contamination of feed.
The unsigned and undated notice states that the NHRA laboratory has observed, in some racehorse specimens emanating countrywide, traces of a substance which may be indicative of Zilpaterol.
Zilpaterol is a chemical substance which is commercially used in South Africa in feed for cattle destined for meat production. It is reported that this substance is harmful to horses and can result in adverse side effects. As such the NHA is monitoring the situation with reference to the NHRA Rules.
It continues that trainers and owners are urged to take precautionary steps to monitor the feed which is sourced for their horses and that it is obtained/ produced under conditions which would not result in Zilpaterol being present. It is for this reason that commercial chemical fertilizers are preferable in the growing of feed crops destined for horses.
Recipients are urged to contact the racing regulator at [email protected] for more information.
A leading trainer contacted the Sporting Post asking what exactly it was that the NHRA expected him to do – besides contacting his feed merchants and requesting confirmation.
“Must we send off every bag for testing? And why are they not simply cutting the verbosity and being transparent by narrowing down the contamination to a specific area and/or trainer and then proceeding to call on their stables to take feed samples and the like. We should be working together as an industry and holding meetings with everyone concerned – not playing patronising games,”he added, stating that racing did not need further incompetence and negativity and to be perceived as a cloak and dagger industry to the public.
Another owner said he was puzzled as to what steps his sector of the industry was supposed to take.
“What a lot of potentially inflammatory bureaurcratic disingenuous poppycock from an organisation that is funded by the industry. What are they expecting us to do? Where do we start and what is the test to determine conditions under which Zilpaterol is present or not present? The trainer acts under a designated formal authority. He is the feed purchaser. Or do the NHRA not understand how the chain of command works on the ground? Ken Truter (NHRA Chairman) needs to move quickly and explain to the industry in factual terms who issued the nameless release from an anonymous mail ‘info’ address and tell us the facts.”
He pointed out the potential collateral damage to the image of the industry and gave the example of overseas-based owners who read the notice and felt helpless to do anything.
“It was irresponsible to press the button and send this ‘garbage’ out. Can we keep blaming subordinates? Me thinks not,” he added.
The Sporting Post is endeavouring to contact the major feed suppliers for comment.
