Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) has announced a crackdown on trainers presenting horses to race with an elevated TCO2 (total carbon dioxide) level.
HRV Integrity will implement a new policy on June 1 designed to reduce the number of horses presenting with elevated TCO2 levels and disrupt/prevent the likelihood of illegal raceday treatment.
For there to be a breach of the prohibited substance rules in regard to the elevated TCO2 in a blood sample taken from a horse, the level needs to exceed 37mmol/L (36mmol/L +/-1mmol/L).
From June 1, where a blood sample collected from a horse returns a TCO2 level of greater than 35.1mmol/L, HRV stewards will implement one of the following options for that horse’s next three race starts.
Option A
1. The trainer of the relevant horse shall ensure it is present on course no less than four hours prior to the scheduled start time in which the horse is entered at a Victorian harness racing meeting.
2. Should a trainer fail to present the horse by the required time the horse shall be withdrawn from the race and the trainer may be subject to penalty.
3. Should the horse be transferred to another trainer within the period of 3 starts the new trainer can make application for the restrictions to be lifted by HRV stewards.
4. HRV will publish a list on its website of all horses required to be presented under this policy.
Option B
1. The trainer of the horse which returned an elevated TCO2 level shall be retained on course for a minimum of three hours after the horse has completed its scheduled race at a Victorian harness racing meeting.
2. Should a trainer fail to abide by this requirement the trainer may be subject to a penalty.
3. Should the horse be transferred to another trainer within the period of three starts the new trainer can make application for the restrictions to be lifted by HRV stewards.
4. HRV will publish a list on its website of all horses required to be presented under this policy.
Option C
1. The Stewards shall attend the registered training address of the trainer of the horse which returned the elevated TCO2 level for as long as is deemed reasonably necessary on the day of the race to supervise the pre-race preparation of the subject horse(s) when engaged at a Victorian race meeting. The intention of this action is to disrupt and prevent the likelihood of any race day treatment occurring.
2. Should a trainer fail to abide or hinder this requirement the trainer may be subject to penalty.
3. Should the horse be transferred to another trainer within the period of 3 starts the new trainer can make application for the restrictions to be lifted by HRV Stewards.
4. HRV will publish a list on its website of all horses required to be presented under this policy.
One of the above options will be chosen at the discretion of stewards, with consideration given to factors which include – but are not limited to – current intelligence, venue of the race meeting, and other options that may have been utilised in respect of that horse and/or licenced trainer.
Trainers may seek to spell the horse while these obligations are in place and stewards shall enforce these options irrespective of the time taken for the three starts to elapse.
Trainers may also seek to race the subject horse in quick succession in order for their obligation to be completed as soon as possible. At this stage there will be no minimum time period allocated for such obligations to be completed by the trainer, however stewards will review this policy within six months and if deemed necessary make changes after further consultation with the Victorian Trainers and Drivers Association.
