It takes weeks of careful preparation and perfect timing by teams of specialists to ensure race day runs smoothly
Dr Terence Wan See-ming
Head of racing laboratory
Our laboratory, an independent department within the racing division, is primarily involved in analysing biological samples for the purpose of doping control. We have the best technology. It is one of only four such laboratories in the world, so in addition to testing Hong Kong horses (and jockeys), we do analysis for all equestrian events held in Asia.
On December 11, we will be testing all declared starters before and after the races. Our day begins at 4am, when we start collecting urine samples from 140 horses. Hong Kong stable assistants are the best in the world. They can ask a horse to urinate, and will be 98 per cent successful. Sometimes, with overseas horses, we cannot get a urine sample and will need to ask the veterinary surgeons to come and take a blood sample.
The samples are delivered by our security officers at 7am, and we have five hours to get the results. Different jurisdictions have different rules, but in Hong Kong there is no prohibited list. Basically any substance that is external to the horse (in other words, is not produced naturally) and can have a possible pharmacological effect is banned.
It's a very complicated testing process - like looking in a forest for one particular tree. Urine and blood contain a lot of chemicals produced naturally in a horse, and there can be thousands in a sample.