TBA president responds to steroid positive at Magic
Millions yearling sale
Basil Nolan, president of Thoroughbred Breeders
Australia (TBA), has thrown his support behind the country’s breeders and stud farms in the wake of a
positive steroid test from last month’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
A colt sold at the
sale tested positive for altrenogest, a substance found in Regu-Mate, which regulates cycles and
maintains pregnancies in fillies and mares, but it is being debated whether Regu-Mate
belongs on the list of banned steroids devised by the Australian Racing Board (ARB) and the Principal
Racing Association last May. Regu-Mate is permitted for fillies and mares on raceday, but not
for males; however, it is sometimes used on stud farms and at sales to modify studish
behavior.
“This is not an anabolic steroid and should never have
been placed on the banned list,” Nolan said in a release. “The TBA has no problem with
testing for anabolic steroids, but we have a grave concern that a yearling has tested positive to
a drug that’s commonly used on studs and at sales throughout Australia. It is not
performance or growth enhancing, which is why it is not prohibited in fillies and mares. Ultimately,
this is not an anabolic steroid.”
Nolan pointed to the fact that the environments at races
and sales differ greatly. At the sales, young colts and fillies are expected to
stand in their boxes for up to two weeks.
“The races and sales are poles apart, and that should
have been considered before the Australian Racing Board and Principal Racing Association
placed altrenogest on the banned list,” he said.
Nolan noted there was a lack of consultation with the
breeding industry when Australia’s anabolic steroids rules were put into place.
“It was simply policy on the run — it was not thought
through at all and now we are paying the price. Our industry is now being ridiculed with
aspersions that all these yearlings are being doped. It’s totally unfair and the breeding industry is
rightly up-in-arms,” he said.
The Australian Racing Board is currently reviewing the
situation and has said Regu-Mate may be removed from the banned list.
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