In a notice published on their website, the NHA says that they recognise the threat which Class 1, Forbidden Substances pose to the integrity of racing and the welfare of the horse.
For this reason sophisticated protein and peptide screening methods have been in place at the NHA for close to 20 years. During the year 2000 the NHA Laboratory established collaboration with some other major racing jurisdictions in conducting the initial research and then developing the basis of approaches and methodologies to screen for commercial Growth Hormones (GH’s), their GH releasing precursors, their messenger growth factors and synthetic analogues of such growth factors.
The effective screening of a range of different Erythropoietins (EPO’s) which are commercially available was also devised during that time. The range of peptide and protein forbidden substances and substances of concern to racing has since increased and the research and development of screening and confirmation methods for these has not stood still.
The NHA has the expertise, experience, set-up and instrumentation required for the screening of such substances.
During the racing year 2020/2021 there was screening of such substances employing internationally approved and adopted methodologies.
The specimens screened included those from post-race, pre-race and from out of competition collections (unannounced collection of specimens at stable yards). Similar screening is now again in place during the 2021/2022 season.
