Trainers voice concern over ban
A decision by the Jockey Club veterinary department to ban trainers from using the medication Sputolosin for 14 days before a race would hit fields rather than hurt trainers.
That was one of several points put to director of racing Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, chief stipendiary steward Clinton P. Pitts Jnr and senior veterinary surgeon Keith Watkins during an hour-long session after trackwork at Sha Tin yesterday.
Sputolosin hit the headlines along with trainer Patrick Biancone two years ago when the French trainer was fined $250,000 for indiscriminate use of the medication, which is used for the treatment of mucus in horses.
Acting on advice from the Jockey Club laboratory department, Watkins earlier this season advised that trainers would not be permitted to use the medication within 14 days of a meeting, rather than the customary seven days.
The eventual negative reaction to the ban brought about yesterday's meeting, at which views were aired in what was described as a constructive get-together by both trainers and officials.
The main thrust of the trainers' arguments against increasing the current threshold centred on the possible effects of such a move.
Other points made were: Currently betting turnover is down about nine per cent and fields have not filled for many races - even though it is early in the season. Adding the extra week in the case of Sputolosin would effectively take a horse out of circulation for over a month or longer.
If some trainers decided against using Sputolosin because of the new time frame, it could ultimately affect a number of horses.
Sputolosin used early against mucus can help rid horses of it but if it is not treated, it can degenerate ultimately into a case of bleeding - and add to the yearly number of horses lost to racing on that count.
The veterinary decision was largely based on the fact that some swabs had shown minute traces of Sputolosin even though use of the medication had been discontinued within the previous seven-day period.
On the racing front, Biancone yesterday lost useful Top Practitioner, who ran fourth in the seventh event at Sha Tin last Saturday. The six-year-old has moved to Chris Cheung Ting-pong.
