Trainer gets fined for

An Inquiry was held in the offices of The national Horseracing Authority in Durban, on Wednesday 21 October 2014.

Trainer P V Lafferty appeared before the Inquiry Board and was charged with a contravention of Rule 10.5.16.3 in that on 27 June 2014 he had in his possession at his stables a product "Nitrotain", which contains ethylestranol, an anabolic steroid and "Omoguard", a product which contains omeprazole. These are both medicines, drugs or related substances not listed or registered for use in South Africa, but which would be required to be so registered under the Medicines Act, (101 of 1965), if imported into this country.

Mr Lafferty pleaded guilty to the charge. Having heard all the mitigating evidence the Board fined Mr Lafferty R30 000, of which R15 000 was suspended for a period of two years on condition that he is not found guilty of a similar offence during that period.

Mr Lafferty has the right of appeal against the penalty imposed.

will this effect his job at TT ?

And will he blame Roy :whistle:

Bob Brogan wrote: will this effect his job at TT ?

Gold Circle position?

Taken from the Paulick report:

Sources in several racing jurisdictions told the Paulick Report some veterinarians and trainers are trying to get around the ban with an imported product from Australia or another substance commonly called “pig juice” that is designed for swine.

Drug screens are available for both muscle builders, with out-of-competition testing the most effective way to detect them.

The product that has reportedly found its way to the United States is Nitrotain, sold by Nature Vet, an Australian company which is now part of CEVA Sante Animale.

On the company’s website, Nitrotain is described as a “vet only product” that is “a potent, short acting oral anabolic steroid with very low potential for adverse side effects, and a short withdrawal time (providing liver and kidney functions are normal). Nitrotain, with extremely high anabolic activity and very low androgenic activity, is safe for fillies and mares, as well as geldings and yearlings.”

Saying the product has “rapid and predictable excretion” means it gets out of the system relatively fast for drug testing purposes, unlike other steroid preparations: testosterone, stanozolol, nandrolone, boldenone, and methandriol,

Does it work?

Well, some Australian body builders think it does. A trio of them were caught on camera breaking into an Australian stable, where they stole a tub of Nitrotain. Bodybuilders and other human athletes have been known to inject anabolic steroids designed for horses to help improve their performance. Rafael Palmeiro, a former Major League Baseball star who tested positive for steroids, was said to have used Winstrol.

Nitrotain contains Ethylestrenol.

Dr. Rick Arthur, equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board, said regulators are aware of Nitrotain and have heard the same rumors about its use.

“We have notified investigators to look for it,” said Arthur, “and it is in our (testing) screen. All of our investigators have the information, what it looks like, and what to look for. We pride ourselves on paying attention to what’s going on, not just in the United States but around the world.”

California is one of several states that conducts out-of-competition testing, but Nitrotain has yet to be detected.

“It would have to be smuggled into the country because it is contraband,” said Arthur. Trainers or veterinarians caught using the substance could face criminal charges, he added.

A second type of muscle builder substance being used by some trainers or vets, and one that has been detected in post-race testing on occasion, is Paylean, sold by Elanco, a division of pharma giant Eli Lilly and Co. Its ingredient is ractopamine.

Paylean, or “pig juice” was designed for pigs and its use is rumored to have been concentrated in the Quarter horse business. A number of positive tests for Paylean have been called in California and elsewhere.

According to the company website, the product “directs nutrients toward quality lean gain and away from fat deposition, resulting in an increase of high-value, lean cuts of meat in pork carcasses. With years of university and private research Paylean has been proven to: increase rate of weight gain; improve feed efficiency; increase carcass leanness.”

Bigger. Stronger. Illegal.

Pretty damning that. I would suspect Mr Paul knew exactly what he had

Given that he pleaded guilty, can anyone offer up a decent explanation as to why he might have this product and not be using them on horses? Personally, I don't think it is good enough just saying "... Having heard all the mitigating evidence the Board fined..." blah blah. The fine seems pathetic to me so I can only assume the mitigating circumstances were excellent but that phrase does leave so much unanswered and makes it sound like he is 100% guilty, which might be unfair. Surely they should publish the "excuses" too for transparency sake and prevent conjecture? Is there a worldwide fine levy or is it up to the individual country's racing authorities to impose what they think appropriate?

Engels , I'm sure these drugs are legitimate sometimes

Not condoning pl but was his stable "just" inspected
But he should have known better pig juice or whateva

Bob Brogan wrote: Engels , I'm sure these drugs are legitimate sometimes

I can accept that Bob but then surely there should be an explanation given. it just doesn't sound right to me that someone can plead guilty, get penalised but it was really all innocent? If they explained things fully it would take the conjecture out of the equation. So, what was he doing with them then, giving his pigs a party with some pumped up apple juice???

im very surprized at the lack of comments from people who where calling for the total ban of steroids ...Englander you are 200 percent correct 15k is pathetic but in this industry people who act in a dishonest manner are put on pedestals and made out like heroes ..its the one industry where they can feel very safe...as for the nhra it is common knowledge they are a gutless toothless organization that is ruled by their paymasters gold circle and Phumelela and lets face it its highly embarrassing when the trainer trains for high profile people at gold circle ....fcuking disgrace..didn't james get a 60k fine which he was appealing to the supreme court but here we have someone caught with bottles and he gets a 15k fine and he admitted guilt..are we really trying to clean racing up because this wont stop others

maybe mohammed al zarooni should take out his trainers license in south Africa when his 8 year ban is up :whistle:

The question I have is how were the bottles sourced? If they were sourced through a vet that vet should be named and shamed. If Mr Paul organised the bottles on his Magic Millions jaunts surely he has broken the law and should be charged in a court of law?

I agree with Pirates the NHA are far too lenient. Offences like this should result in Al Zarooni type sentences.