Irish racing doping claims

he doesnt need to and wont imo . the lance armstrong  of irish racing can only be one trainer after all

Really? I can think of several possibilities. And is this miracle method likely limited to one yard?

really yourself ? you can think of a few ? 8 times tour de france winner total dominator of the sport and theirs a few ? i dont think so

If it could be flat or jumps, then yes.

Parliamentary Privilege applies to members of parliament. It does not extend to racehorse trainers

In the UK it extends to people giving evidence to parliamentary committees.

come on hes not talking about a different sphere , we all know whom hes talking about . if its not been banned then theres no crime which is where this will lead to .

OK, I understand what you're saying.

leaders are always looking to stay ahead  e p o , t.u.e.s etc , i think the question is whether the envelope has been pushed too far in line with the current guidance , given the stature of "lance" i think they,re comfortable . new rulebook required is the outcome

And the identity of the Irish Lance Armstrong is...









... Rebekah Vardy

Irish horses running clean?

hurricane lane owners ?

well there surely not running as they did before the claim  , harry !

interesting the form slump aidens

stables won a good few classics this year.

Is that meant to be a sarcastic swipe - GAZO ?

Hurricane Lane - Lost Both Front Shoes at Epsom - whereabout ​has not been stated - But ...

He weakened from around a furlong out

Today - picked up well from a furlong out

JS Bolger's are still running nicely.

onlooker, owners( big high profile horse doping case in uk) more than the horse

Blimey - GAZO ....

Where do you think I have been ? ....

Most certainly NOT behind the door.

- and - In case you have missed it -  Trainer Al Zarooni has just got his  Licence back after an 8-year ban - to train again in the UAE.


But - as for your intimation regarding THIS Thread - and Bolger's accusation about IRELAND .... You are 'a  million'

If you are just bowling a curve ball .... Not really relevant to Bolger's accusations

and Al Zarooni has got a job straight away,no doubt godolphin gave him a glowing reference

Gazo spot on ...

If I we’re a British trainer, I’d be sending horses over to Ireland every week now…

especially knowing they aren’t going to bump into the tanks they’ve been facing for the previous 5 years or more, time to get pad back for all the filth

We as form students will now be wondering which horses are actually going to turn up…the Ivan drago tanks we’ve seen for years or the ABA featherweights we are currently seeing…embarrassing really. Theft and fraud if so

The case continues….

Paid

Harry, now a trainer producing Derby winner after Derby winner and from the same source as a banned trainer is not questioned by your good self . So were did all those drugs he was caught vanish to ?

The industry is TOO BIG to fail- especially in Ireland but also in the UK.

The authorities will brush everything under the carpet after plenty of virtue signalling.The dopers are far ahead of any testing regime that could be implemented- if they had the inclination to do so.

Everybody benefits,as P.Mullens stated after his umpteenth winner at Cheltenham

I just want want justice for the shenanigans that has been going on for a good few years with Irish racehorses workrider? If they continue to perform how they are currently, then I know bolgers claims are correct, we will see pal

Al. Zarooni was caught and banned for 8 years,…let’s hope when they catch the Irish trainers, they get the same sentences but we both know their is no deterrents in Ireland, so the only proof we will have is lack of performance, something that we haven’t seen for years, yet we are starting to witness now

how are we witnessing it ?

Royal ascot gazo?

How was the stats on previous seasons?

All Irish runners in the derby today was lack of performance

do you mean just o'brien ?

The Americans were pumping Yearlings full of Steroids to BULK them up for the SALES in the late 1970s/80s

Sangster and others, including the Arabs,  Paid through the Nose and got taken for a ride.

Horses like Sanaffi Dancer never even got to the  racecourse.

The Authorities DID Act - as they realised it was 'diluting' the Breed, and the ongoing consequences could be horrendous.

Now - maybe, there is another way of 'Making a Stallion'  ....

-  and in Jump racing - Well 'magic performances' don't matter to  the Authorities ....

Geldings cannot create havoc to the Breed.

Harry , is it not worrying to you that so many of those wearing blue have been producing massive performances these past couple of years . Something not quite right imo...Plus they have form for the very things you accuse the Irish of...

Yes O’Brien and a good few travellers that are underperforming as well…not enough data yet but the Irish horses at present are running below their rating…
You’ll want names of every horse gazo as you like the empty room argument but look them up

how many classic's has he won this year ?

there is almost certainly a drug problem in ireland but if its there its also over here

I certainly think the Arabs have changed their ways in regards breeding workrider…more homebreds now instead of big money purchases and it’s paying off on the track. Frankel could be their saviour workrider

Of course they could be doping them but Appleby is doing a fine job imo and things at coolmore have also changed in regards their breeding, that isn’t paying off…we will see

Classics = plural ... Not - "classic's" = possessive.

Sorry to be punctuation pedantic - But it is entirely opposite to your Texting-type posting - which makes your argument, and points,  far more difficult to define.

there is almost certainly a drug problem in ireland but if its there its also over here

Yes agreed but English trainers certainly aren’t using it properly, if that is the case

I was looking at Irish mares the other day and their improvement and almost all of the national hunt flat mares go from 100 rating to 140 with certain trainers…yet a mare trained by a small trainer who may have ran in the same race as the 100 horse and finished close up. That mares rating stays the same, it’s quite remarkable tbh

^ *  for example - I thought you were flying the Irish Flag .... or - Tricolour ...

To be pedantic .... to myself. 

Check klassy Kay for Willie untouchable Mullins

Fully exposed and rated 82 rpr for small trainer yet Mullins has got her to 123 now…it’s always 40+ on their rating…that’s what the magic potion gives

I could reel them off all night…

Anyway the case continues…sweet dreams

Harry , I am not taking sides here btw, but the Mares program is much better over here than the U.K. hence Mares are making Huge money at the sales. Can't agree re Coolmore and Goldolfing breeding just yet , Coolmore still have a huge edge imo and even in America were the Arabs have nothing to compere ..

their obviously cleaning the juice from their runners and the standard has slipped . british raiders 1 and 2 and another win . in the mean time their cuting  all chords etc . the lack of performance says it all

you could state age , but , the reigning 10k olympic champion cant even hit the qualifying time after being distanced from his stable

I think coolmore have flirted with some sires I don’t like workrider…we will see early days but I certainly think a rethink has taken place at godolphin and it’s starting to bare fruits…the American side is also going well so things have changed from the past of just buying big and hoping for the best.

I’m certainly no breeding expert workrider but I like looking at mares and I’m afraid the programme thing doesn’t wash with me, the improvement is just to stark, to any mares improving to much for it just to be having a good program and all at the rate I state

harry callaghan 26 Jun 21 20:52

Check klassy Kay for Willie untouchable Mullins

Fully exposed and rated 82 rpr for small trainer yet Mullins has got her to 123 now…it’s always 40+ on their rating…that’s what the magic potion gives

------------

harry - you may well remember - I started a THREAD on KLASSY KAY - the day she Won her first Hurdles race - entitled ...

'Is this Willie Mullins lowest-ever rated Hurdler'.

When  she went in again the other day - for around the 4th time - I trawled through her whole Form, yet again - in an effort to see/define just where her improvement had come from

The 'magic potion' must be translucent .... as it does NOT show up on the FORM pages.

i would suggest the big guns are nearly all using / abusing the laws and staying within the boundaries on a knife edge some would say that is progress and if they werent at the top to be gunned down ,  theirs a whole mountain behind them . i bet jim has had to cut all sorts of what he considers ok after all hes not setting the world on fire formwise

Onlooker look through a few national hunt mares races and look at the improvement for certain barns it’s always at least 40+…

now you can argue the mare has just improved but check the other mares that don’t improve that are close up for lesser trainers, it makes for horrible reading and cheating in my book..hormone treatments

That klassy Kay is a beauty onlooker…fully exposed at 82 after many starts then given to the plus 40+ trainer as I call them now and bobs your uncle

That 8 year old mare trueself is sustaining her form well onlooker…I’ve been following racing over 25 years and I’ve never seen anything like it with these mares from Ireland

My mate who loves his pointing and been going for 50+ years said “if you don’t like someone send them a mare”…clearly talking nonsense the old boy

Yet Willie seems to have let a really good Mare Skyace slip his fingers Onlooker , there again maybe Shark is the better trainer..... Harry several of your Countrymen were saying the British stables were suffering from a virus maybe Aiden is now. I had a look at some of his in the paddock today and one or two of them were not exactly brimming in their coats , plus H.D. got very warm between the legs never a good sign imo...

Obrien can't have champions every year.

o'briens 3yo colts this year look poor,his fillies look very good

They was loads of form to suggest that KLASSY KAY was well handicapped off a mark of 80.From her runs at Down Royal and Sligo and later her run at Clonmel off 95.To say improvement came from no were is wide of the mark.Maybe a look at her breeding may have suggested that she was a well in.Over the years Willie has been know to improve horses from other yards.And they is a big diffence between yards.THOUSAND STARS is a good example.

Jeez cloone that thousand stars…I’d never gone back that long, he’s been at it most of this century

That’ll do for me just annoys me…night chaps

when you look at the parade ring if your their . the top yards horses gleam ,have condition and are more muscular than the lesser stables . there is a discernible difference . the top yards will rightly say , we give more time , work regular , right vitamins , feed etc . hence their better for being in that yard . when the horse doesn't achieve its gone . similar to life , born in a good barn you get privilege, fed well etc . question is are those bigguns doing something more

Thousand stars a dead +40 horse feck

6316 many ordinary yards are capable of having their horses look well , its not only the top yards.

Jessica Harrington's got a bit in the RP.

She has said NOTHIMNG other than - 'Not me Guv' .... "HOPE there isn't an issue"   etc etc.

Ya, a pathetic response from her.

Very defensive was our Jessica , i wonder why !

If the people keep saying there is abuse of drugs in Irish racing, and they have no backup(proof/names) then should they be investigated for bringing racing into disrepute. . . .

As Charlie McCreevy said "It's time to $hit or get off the pot"

I had forgotten till now that Charlie was Al Zarooni's Assistant , strange or what....

Do they take blood samples,every group 1 winner should have a sample of blood taken, some retained and stored so as understanding of abuses become clearer retrospective action can be taken, should also define what retrospective punishments will be.

Little point allowing records to stand, races to be kept, stallions records upheld when someone who is close to being rumbled puts there hands up and says sorry twenty/thirty years later.

one thing that ive always wondered about,    coolmore was so desperate to get a horse in the greats of horse racing and they thought and blasted camelot over the planet, he was odds on to do the remarkable treble, yet was beaten by encke a horse that was found full of drugs, it amazed me that coolmore didnt go over the top and criticised the boys for blue for cheating, but there wasnt a murmur, fot me it showed to me that theyre all at it .

breadand butter, well i assume they do and would be horrified if they didnt

Elisjohn, it only came out AFTER the BHA found he had used Steroids for that horse , there would have been no point in highlighting the case then. Amazing that the same yard is now turning out G1 winner after winner.

The al zarooni case was very odd.
For a start he was done in the spring of the following year. No doubt Coolmore were focusing on the upcoming classics. Camelot got stuffed in the arc so was old news.
Al-Z was caught administering steroids.
Which in doping terms is the equivalent of downing a bottle of jack daniels and getting caught driving at 90mph on the M25.
Steroids are relatively easy to detect, as i understand it. If caught in time.
Makes you wonder how Zarooni got nabbed.
Wonder if someone grassed him up. Also wonder about the rivalry between the two godolphin stables. At the time Saeed was the senior partner. But the old Dubai trick of wintering the horses in the arabian peninsular had been horribly exposed at the time. Seems to me that Charlie A keeps his smart prospects over here nowadays. Maybe Sheikh Mo has had a word and Saeed has had to settle for second best.

"Jessica Harrington speaks out on Jim Bolger claims of drugs cheats in horse racing" https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/racing/arid-40323743.html

Old Jessie getting in there rather quickly...no-one's accused her,have they?

As an athlete myself in the past, I don't accept the reference to Mo Farah. The Olympic 10,000 qualifying time is 27:28 which is 2 seconds faster than the world record set by David Bedford in 1974 and Mo also ran 27:30 when winning Gold in London 2012 when he was at the peak of his ability. Times have moved on quickly since he moved to marathon running and at 36yo it is hardly surprising that he has failed to BETTER his London time this year as he would need to do. Mo has always been more of a tactician than a record breaker and there are now loads of North African and Kenyans capable of running sub 27 minutes.

This seasons flat-racing will tell you who the dopers are and whether it is widespread in Ireland, through lack of performance…

a half decent form reader will start to question why his figures are not stacking up through performance and that will give them the answers, especially when that performance is far lower than previously shown

Personally I’m looking forward to it, as I think it’s been rife for years and stand by the statement.

My only hope is the horses that come back to the top trainers yard (Mullins) each year “fat as pigs as he calls it” are tested pre season and the untouchable owners stud of McManus are also tested.

Have a nice day

Charlie must be delighted you are deflecting the limelight away from him Harry...

Let’s deal with this corruption first workrider

Whats the difference Harry ..?

I haven’t got anything on Appleby workrider, apart from you telling me he worked for al zarooni…

I haven’t seen the performance levels with his horses to give me anything to go on tbh

Really Harry, tbh I find that amazing with your nose for digging up dirt , assistant to a convicted cheat , now sending out Derby winner after Derby winner from the SAME yard and the same people , I must be missing something so , or maybe its those only the Irish cheat glasses you ware ..

As I said earlier in thread workrider their change in tact in regards breeding and not being a buy big owner/breeder is standing godolphin in good stead with more homebreds and the decent ones being by frankel is producing good horses…

I could be wrong of course but the horses you mention I had down as very good early on in their careers so I’m not on that bandwagon in regards performance, I do however think frankel is a superb sire and they are using him now.

I could be wrong of course workrider but like I say the horses they have won these Derby’s with I knew were decent, I wish the one that was second in the Guineas had got home but that’s purely through my pocket

Surely it begs the question , what MAKES them decent . Frankle has had runners in sellers least we forget so it can't just be them breeding from him . Plus its Juddmonte that owns him not the boys in blue...

it's a wonder why the straight owners don't
walk away from the game,knowing their £1000s
a year in training fees is money chucked down
the khasy.Surely they know it's all down to
drugs when a horse puts up a good performance.

Your asking the question in regards their horses workrider and that is my take, when I start seeing the stark improvement in performance I’ll happily post, as I hope all the corrupt trainers come crumbling down but anyway that’s my take on Appleby at this stage

Where money is involved cheating goes on, no matter what the sport is. I was heavily involved training greyhounds from the mid 70s for 20 years or so. I would often travel over to the Cork, Limerick and Shelbourne for the sale's trials. It was a minefield. Agents who knew what an Owner wanted for his dog would try to sell it to you pre race and "pocket" his mark. There would be "muscled up" pups as big as 3yos, just one "trial" run on it's card,( 4 yards off the track record at some backwater track like Tralee). It would win its sales race running against 2 rubbing rags and afterwards be bid up to over 2,000gns by some unwitting English men. You had to keep your eyes and ears open and keep your mouth shut. I would take my own stop watch and time the sectional and finish of every race, because I did not trust the official timekeeper. If a dog took my eye I would wait until it was about to be "knocked down" or withdrawn before making a bid. Show an interest too soon and without doubt you were bid up. Some dogs in  race in the trials would be  on  "Bute", get them off the boat in England and they would be walking on three legs. Even buying dogs advertised in the press was risky, nearly every dog the likes of Imelda Phelan sold were " Open Class" Yet half of them would struggle to grade in at Bolton or Belle Vue.
There were many honest breeders in Ireland though, some very nice people who went out of their way not to be associated by said shenanigans. I would take many a pup from a breeder who would replace it if it would not chase or was dodgy and made life long friends. A lot operated in this open, honest fashion.
The UK Independent greyhound Tracks were rife with drug cheats, "stoppers" and "starters" common place, "fixed" races would occur though the handicapper did try his best to keep associated trainers apart. The closure of the Independents improved matters greatly. I would say Greyhound racing these days is 90% straight.

Greyhound racing mirrors horse racing in many respects except for one: Breeding and control of the Breed. A bitch might have twelve pups in her litter the Owner has to let some go so the pool is widened to everyone. Not the case with Horse Racing as we all know.

It would be very disturbing if those holding the Bloodstock were not content with their lot.

Frankel has had runners in sellers least we forget so it can't just be them breeding from him





so has Galileo...so what?

Great piece Barstool and very true ,other side of the coin , I had a good dog and a English Trainer in the Bermingham area bought it off me. Seeing as she was a well known trainer I sent the dog over without getting any money ,it was done on trust .I was walking another of my dogs in H.X. when my phone rang it was the English trainer telling me the dog had broke its leg and she was not giving me my money. Luckily for me a well known Manager was at that track at that time and after a phone call from me telling him exactly what had happened I finally got my money...

Sorry Duncan I meant to replay to you , of course you are correct and that's what I'm saying to Harry who is under the impression that Frankle is the answer to all the Godolfin problems . Many breeders use both him and his Father .

I would assume that, if and when Bolger attends this public enquiry, some politician will have the wherewithal to ask him to explain a couple of facts such as (1) if the level of doping in Irish racing is such that it's now an unlevel playing field, then how has he managed to produce the highest rated 3 y o in Europe and (2) for a spectacular 2-3 year period in the early to mid naughties he had by far his most successful period as a trainer and breeder, producing New Approach, Teofilio, Soldier Of Fortune, Gan Amhras, Lush Lasses and several other group 1 winners, having gone all-in on Galileo when he was affordable. If his success then can be put down to having had access to Galileo, then surely he understands that having a yard full of Vocalized offspring for the past 5-6 years can explain this unlevel playing field.

https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2021/0628/1231848-gerry-holian-court/

The owners made him do it

THE CHEMISTRY OF EQUINE DOPING (https://equinedoping.home.blog/horses/)

Dear Betfair Horse racing Forum members,

You might find this blog written by a chemistry student at Bangor University around 2018 helpful (I could not see any references dated later than 2018). There are sections on origins, variants, designer drugs, gene doping, peptides, Hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs). The sections are short and written in an easy to read style (there are a few typos here and there). Below are some of the main points from the blog:

• A major problem in determining the metabolic pathway is getting ethics to test unknown toxicology in vivo (performed or taking place in a living organism) however in recent years in vitro (performed or taking place in a test tube, culture dish, or elsewhere outside a living organism) studies have been undertaken (e.g. 2016)
• Use of designer drugs has increased dramatically due to the internet
• Detecting designer drugs is difficult because no reference material is available
• Horse urine contains all manner of other chemicals producing a complex biological matrix
• Different drugs have different properties making a singular screening technique that enables sensitive identification of all drug types near impossible
• Gene therapy involves a delivery vector to transfer genetic material and associated regulatory elements (transgene) into a target cell
• Gene therapy is performed in two ways ex vivo (outside the body and then re-implanted back) or in vivo (see above for definition, more popular, less invasive, and cheaper)
• Gene therapy detection comes in two forms: indirect and direct methods. Real-time polymers chain reaction (PCR) tests, which have previously been mentioned in this post, hold the most promise
• Another major concern is the use of peptide therapeutics to enhance performance. Peptides have rapid metabolism, short half-lives, the biological matrices are complex making detection difficult. Dermorphin can be detected in plasma and urine 12 and 48 hours respectively after intravenous administration.
• Cobalt, amongst other things, activates the production of red blood cells by stabilising Hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs). Other drugs/chemicals that produce a similar effect to cobalt are Xenon and Nickel.

love the anti-Irish sentiments on here, don't fool yourself the same is going on over there fact.

xaar, Equine drug abuse is a global problem not just an English/Irish one. I expect most posters are aware of that.

Might be a bit of rivalry banter wise but no more than that I would hope.

defo barstool, just got that vibe as if its an irish only issue

Yes, I agree with barstool this is an international problem, the US comes immediately to mind.

On the subject of “Different drugs have different properties making a singular screening technique that enables sensitive identification of all drug types near impossible”(see bullet point five above) I note that William Jones mentions in his book The Black Horse is Dying (published in 2020), that the Hong Kong Jockey Club have developed a hair test that can detect 121 drugs in a single test for drugs administered up to six months ago (https://thehorse.com/163115/hair-analysis-detects-drugs-in-horses-weeks-mon...

Jun 29, 2021 -- 11:50AM, xaar wrote:

love the anti-Irish sentiments on here, don't fool yourself the same is going on over there fact.

For some that's the only issue, as I've been saying for ages now. It's not even a debate. However thankfully there are some others who seem genuinely concerned about the issue and not the Country.

Any advance from Bolger? Did he actually give evidence?

Be Patient .... JULY 6th - isn't it.

Irish racing legend makes repeated claims about doping in Irish racing

(Some) Irish posters' response: "Typical English racism."

Jim Bolger tells committee he will not attend key hearing on doping allegations
Jim Bolger: will not appear before the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee
Jim Bolger: will not appear before the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee
Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)
1 of 1
By Mark Boylan
UPDATED 8:38PM, JUN 30 2021
 
Jim Bolger will not attend the hearings that have been called by the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee as a result of his concerns over illegal drug use in racing having informed the group he is not in a position to do so following legal advice.

Bolger, who last year described drug cheats as the number one problem in Irish racing, has reaffirmed his stance in a series of recent Sunday Independent interviews with Paul Kimmage, suggesting "there will be a Lance Armstrong in Irish racing".

In the wake of those interviews, the agriculture committee chairman Jackie Cahill stated that it was unanimously agreed at government level to invite Bolger to appear in front of the parliamentary group, along with a number of other key racing bodies, to address his claims.

However, while Bolger would not confirm or deny whether he will not be accepting the invitation to face questions about those assertions when contacted by the Racing Post, a government source has confirmed that he has turned down the invite on legal advice.

"The committee has received notice that Mr Bolger is not in a position to attend after taking legal advice," the source said. "It needed clarifying but the whole story is now up in the air so we don't know what is going to happen." 

In the first of the two recent Sunday Independent features, the leading trainer, breeder and owner insisted he could not name names because he did not want to end up in the High Court.

While there would be some immunity to those making statements in parliamentary sittings, it is understood Bolger would not be privy to the same level of parliamentary privilege as elected representatives.

Three separate hearings will take place across July 8 and 13, with representatives of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) in front of the committee from 9.30am to 11.30am on Thursday of next week.

Representatives from the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association (IRTA), of which Bolger is no longer a member, will appear on Tuesday, July 13 from 3.30pm to 4.30pm before those from the department of agriculture, food and the marine attend immediately after until 5.30pm.

Jim Bolger invited to substantiate drug cheat claims at parliamentary hearing

In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, the Fianna Fail TD explained: "The committee has agreed to a series of meetings to discuss the concerning commentary around the integrity of the horseracing industry in Ireland and possible drug use in the sport.

"We have taken the opportunity to invite the relevant individuals, bodies and organisations in to discuss the recent, very concerning, commentary on the matter and giving them the time and place to debate the issues and highlight their own concerns."

The joint-committee on agriculture, food and the marine has 14 members, nine from the Dail and five from the Seanad.

Cahill added: "We are global leaders in the horseracing industry and any question around its integrity or the possibility of drug use could be extremely damaging.

"Breeders, jockeys, owners and trainers are dependent on the viability of the sport in Ireland and the good name of the industry around the world.

"The committee hopes that these meetings will bring clarity to the situation. The committee looks forward to an enlightening debate over the coming weeks."

In an interview with RTE broadcast last weekend, leading trainer Jessica Harrington asked "where is this all coming from?" in response to Bolger's claims, describing how the suggestion that Irish trainers are doping horses makes her sad.

Sad that the cat is finally out of the bag and the game is nearly up.

shame he lost his bottle, you do not have to name names just his knowledge of what is going on , his reputation is now tarnished imo

All very coincidental - and possibly convenient ...


IHRB chief executive Denis Egan announces sudden early retirement

By Brian Sheerin
UPDATED 1:39PM, JUL 1 2021

Denis Egan has made a surprise decision to step down from his role as chief executive of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.

Egan, 60, who has spent 26 years working for the regulator, almost 20 of which have been in his role as the chief executive, said he will take early retirement in September.

He joined the Turf Club in 1995 as a financial controller before taking over as chief executive in 2001.

When that organisation became the IHRB in 2018, Egan was responsible for overseeing that transition as the CEO of the new body.

Speaking about his decision to step down from his role, Egan said: "Irish racing has an enviable reputation worldwide, both for its fairness and integrity and has enjoyed huge success at home and around the world.

"I am proud that the Turf Club, and more recently the IHRB, has had a significant role to play in this regard. I believe we now have a strong platform in place to build and grow for the future and I believe the time is right to hand over to a successor to take the organisation to the next level."

May be wrong, but it looks like he his first off the ship.

These things are made up of multi party representatives and most of them wouldn't have a clue about the subject but would question Bolger as if he was on trial to score points in front of the camera.

Bolger did right to avoid himself the hassle.

He's done his bit and if the IHRB have the stomach for it the platform is set now for giving it a go.

Whether it's something from the past that might surface or something ahead o be faced I don't think Dennis Egans resignation is coincidental .

These people in semi state bodies simply don't resign until unless they have to over here.

Well, well ...

By Mark Boylan
UPDATED 7:08PM, JUL 4 2021
 
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) has rejected the suggestion it did not act when contacted by anonymous whistleblowers following claims in the Sunday Independent it failed to take action after being provided with information relating to doping.

In the latest article in a series of anti-doping pieces by journalist Paul Kimmage, there were also claims an English trainer found three of six horses he acquired in Ireland showed evidence of "a number of currently unidentified possible keto steroids", after the trainer commissioned a £10,000 survey from "a distinguished toxicologist".

Jim Bolger was said to have been contacted by the unnamed trainer in the aftermath of his comments last October surrounding his belief there is not a level playing field in Irish racing.

No specific trainer or horses were named in the claims of the anonymous female who contacted Kimmage, but she stated it was "quite a big high-profile trainer [more than a decade ago]".

The anabolic steroids nitrotain and stanozolol – which were central to the previous IHRB convictions against the vet John Hughes, his brother Pat, the well-known former trainer, and current trainer Philip Fenton – were among the illegal substances alleged to have been kept in a cupboard by the trainer who employed the anonymous whistleblower.

The individual alleged there was subsequently "not even a yard inspection" from the IHRB.