The Mauritius Turf Club have followed the lead of the NHRA and warned trainers against potential feed contamination as a result of Zilpaterol.
A notice published by the MTC on Monday states that 24 horses from 7 different stables tested positive for Zilpaterol during this season and that an investigation indicated that the likely source was feed contamination emanating from South Africa.
The GRA and the MTC have drawn Mauritian trainers attention to the NHRA’s notice and have urged them to take all reasonable and precautionary measures to monitor the situation.
They suggest that this should include taking and recording imported feed batch numbers and retaining a small sample from each batch.
It adds that trainers may opt to have their feed independently tested and to seek reassurance from their suppliers that they have the quality controls in place to avoid contamination. In the closed season the GRA and MTC intend to conduct random feed sampling.
The NHRA’s Zilpaterol warning to local owners and trainers was greeted with widespread disdain and was withdrawn without notice from the racing regulator’s weekly calendar. Nothing further has been communicated publically in this regard.
Robert Bloomberg – concerned
In a recent Sporting Post interview that touched on the application in South Africa of the strict liability rule, where the trainer is automatically guilty of an offence irrespective of the circumstances, leading specialist horseracing Attorney Robert Bloomberg warned that coupled with the practicalities and logistics in a racing yard associated with feed, the dire implications of contamination had become a serious concern for any racehorse trainer.
There have been no press releases or assurances from local feed companies – other than a recent advice of yet another price increase.
