York film seized in doping probe

2:30pm Saturday 6th October 2007

SECURITY chiefs at the British Horseracing Authority have taken CCTV footage from York Racecourse after it was revealed yesterday's Cheveley Park favourite Visit had tested positive for the tranquiliser ACP.

Authority chiefs have launched an investigation after connections revealed the Sir Michael Stoute-trained filly had been found to have traces of the drug in her body following a sample taken after she finished second in the Lowther Stakes on Knavesmire in August.

While this result is still dependent on a B sample and does not mean the horse was either deliberately doped or that the tranquiliser was administered when Visit was at York, Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Khalid Abdullah, still described the case as "serious".

Connections are unaware of how traces of acetylpromazine, the full name for ACP, came to be found in Visit's sample. The two-year-old was a heavily backed 6-4 favourite for the Lowther Stakes, a Group 2 sprint, but was beaten into second place by Nahoodh.

ACP, which can be administered either through a pill or by injection, was once commonly used to sedate a horse while being clipped but has been largely replaced by more modern drugs. It is still, however, widely used.

Mark Collins, left, veterinary surgeon at York's Minster Equine Centre, said: "ACP is a sedative. It basically calms a horse down and can be administered to varying degrees. It can be used to take the edge off a fractious horse. It is widely used in surgeries, but it is prescription only."

Visit was the 11-4 favourite for the Cheveley Park - one of the premier Group 1 races for two-year-olds. Ridden by champion jockey Ryan Moore, she could only finish in mid-division, well behind the eventual winner Natagora.

Mr Grimthorpe, a member of York Race Committee, said the BHA had informed connections of the positive test a week ago. "We haven't had the results of the B sample as yet but we have been informed that Visit tested positive for acetylpromazine at York," he said. "At the moment, there is obviously an ongoing investigation, which the BHA is carrying out, and in our view it is serious, with the very many implications that it concerns."

William Derby, York Racecourse's chief executive, said: "From our point of view, the integrity of a race day is the responsibility and security of the BHA, the sport's governing body. We will obviously be interested to see what the results of the inquiry will be. The CCTV footage from the racecourse is the association's property and they have already collected that.

"I have watched the race back and the horse seems to run a good race in coming second.

"Obviously this is a concern to us - that is why racing, as a whole, invests so much effort in ensuring the best standards in tests and screening.

"There is no suggestion that ACP has been administered while at York Racecourse at the moment, but we will be helping (the inquiry) if we can.

"The inquiry appears to mainly focus on the CCTV at York and from Visit's Newmarket yard."

So what is acetylpromazine?

ACP, or acetylpromazine, is used as a sedative or tranquiliser in many veterinary surgeries and depresses the central nervous system.

It can be given either as a pill or as an injection into a muscle or vein. Fast-acting, it is a prescription-only drug which is used to help alleviate fear and anxiety.

Although it is not known exactly how it works, it is believed to block receptors of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is the chemical used for communication between cells.

The drug modifies the chemicals in the brain to change an animal's behaviour. It can also lower blood pressure in animals.