Gerard Butler steroids story

From the Racing post...

BRITISH racing lurched back into crisis on Monday as a second Newmarket trainer admitted to using anabolic steroids on his horses.

Gerard Butler has told the BHA that several of his horses received treatment consisting of injections of anabolic steroids for injured joints. The trainer believes more than 100 racehorses across Newmarket may have been given the same treatment.

The news comes just days after Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni received an eight-year ban for administering anabolic steroids to 15 horses under his care, a scandal which thrust British racing into the worldwide media spotlight.

However, unlike in the Al Zarooni case, Butler said the treatment came recommended by vets, who told him the treatment was widespread in Newmarket, and included the injections in his official medical records where were seen and returned by the BHA without comment.

Butler told the Independent: "It did not cross my mind that there could be any problem with this medication. And, judging from the fact that the BHA said nothing about it when they saw my medical book, it does not seem to have crossed their minds, either."

Butler believes the medication, known as Sungate, to have been commonly recommend by vets in Newmarket for the treatment of joint injuries.

"I have been very uncomfortable over the past few days, hearing and reading about the Al Zarooni case," he said.

"I feel people need to know about what has happened in my yard. I know I'm obliged to satisfy myself that each and every treatment is within the rules, and I failed to do so in this case.

"But I am certain that this medication has been misunderstood by many others. And I just hope that the BHA is being suitably rigorous in establishing whether that is indeed the case."

Butler, who said he is co-operating with the BHA, added: "I have been totally candid throughout, and it was I who told the BHA that I had treated four colts in December and January. I’m not trying to defend myself, just to explain what happened. And I must emphasise I was advised in good faith by my vets."

was looking at his horse in the last at windsor tonigt and it got dq;ed in a race at yarmouth last summer,banned substance found!

"Butler told the BBC, by email, that the Independent story was correct and that the drug was recommended by a vet.... Butler says more than 100 Newmarket-based horses will have been given the same drug." From the BBC

seems link isnt working, try this link hit resource centre, stewards room, disciplinary panel and type Gerard Butler in the search and 5 cases of previous doping pops up.

http://www.britishhorseracing.com/

It begs the question of why these trainers are employing vets who are apparently completely ignorant of the rules of racing.

Check this one out Hans Christian Anderson would've been proud of the Fairytale Fenton spun ref Dunguibs positive test for a sheep and cattle wormer (not a horse wormer mind you considering its a horse?) this stuff is so potent that when it breaks down in the horses system it basically turns into cocaine, and the idiots in the Turf Club believed him or was this just another example of the incestuous nature of Irish racings regulatory body and its participants?.

This is pure comedy gold and not one in the racing media thought there was a story here and questioned Fenton's **** and bull story and the Turf Clubs findings, they should've been all over this story like a rash?.

"Then, one morning on the gallops, Fenton took a call from the Turf Club. Bad news. A blood test conducted after the Punchestown race had returned an adverse finding. The B sample had yet to be examined but often the B sample is a parachute that never opens.

Traces of a worming agent had been found. It wasn’t performance-enhancing but a horse couldn’t run with this substance in his system. At first they were baffled. Dunguib wasn’t being treated with this wormer. How the hell? Then it dawned on them. Sher Beau in the stable next door was getting the wormer in his feed; his food pot hangs on a wall adjacent to Dunguib’s pot and the small retractable iron grille that divides the stables must have been left open. The space is comfortably big enough for a horse to poke his head through and it wouldn’t have taken much more than a dribble of Sher Beau’s saliva in Dunguib’s feed to cause a problem. Dunguib was disqualified and nearly €39,000 of prize money had to be returned."

Post hearing comments from Fenton:

"We had a very fair hearing and unfortunately the wrong horse got the wrong dose.
"It was some wormer medication that should have been given to another horse and it's cost us the race.
"It was one of those things and while these things shouldn't happen, they do happen, unfortunately."

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We had a very fair hearing said Fenton?, you better believe it Philip, you would be hard pressed to convince a 2 yr old child your fairytale was true but you convinced the Turf Club for some unknown reason?.

Everytime I see Gerald Butler on tv always think he's someone you wouldn't want to buy a car from....just has that look about him and trouble does seem to follow his ilk.

Gerard Butler is known to have nicely bred horses bought for peanuts due to most of them having some sort of 'problems' it is medication and the BHA are going to have a problem distinguishing the way they allow this, as they know, it seems that it goes on, the thing about the Zarooni case is that these are the best bred expensive end of the market with no probs, he was just juicing them up to cheat.

no he just switched accents permamently.

This is a cover up story for Dubai!

silvergreaser - that is indeed a remarkable yarn from Fenton.

http://www.gerardbutler.co.uk/about-us.php

I insist this a cover up story too take the Blame away from the Dubai Mafia! He is a Crook.

I could see when he kicked that guy down the well in 300 that GB had been on the steroids, fwiw.

I see that Al Zarooni has Steeler still declared in the 2000gns on Sat.  Thought they had shutdown pending internal inquiry?

Presume he'll come out today

MAZ told he should expect testing at the yard after race-day positives last season.

The one thing this proves is there is a lot more to administering these drugs than just plunge a syringe in as Butler couldn't train Lassie to p!ss on a lamp post.

29 Apr 2013 13:21
BHA statement regarding investigation into positive samples relating to a specific veterinary product





It is the general policy of the BHA not to comment publicly regarding ongoing investigations or speculation surrounding potential investigations.

However, in light of reports and speculation today, and because of recent events regarding horses formerly trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni, it is felt necessary to confirm that a separate investigation is being held into a number of positive samples obtained from horses at Gerard Butler's yard, following a testing in training visit on 20th February.

While conscious of the need not to prejudice the outcome of the current enquiry, the investigation has established that the source of the positive samples was a veterinary product, licensed in the EU and legally imported for use by a veterinary practice, the initial administration of which was recommended by a vet.

This investigation remains ongoing and a number other parties have been and will be interviewed, including representatives of the veterinary practice in question. One of the objectives of this investigation is to clarify the extent to which this product has been distributed and administered to horses in training.

Immediately following the results of the testing in training, the BHA, in conjunction with the National Trainers Federation, notified trainers that the product in question contains an anabolic steroid and should not be used on any horse in training.



For more information contact:

Robin Mounsey
British Horseracing Authority
t:02071520048
m:07584171551
e: rmounsey@britishhorseracing.com

I note Butler didn't say anything in his original comments about this being the result of positive tests.