Great Britain: Nothing sinister in drugs seizure claims trainer

Racingpost.com - Full Article

By Tony Smurthwaite 7:25PM 11 SEP 2013

THE endurance trainer at the centre of latest furore to hit Sheikh Mohammed's Newmarket headquarters has insisted that there was nothing sinister about the consignment of 124 unauthorised equine medicines seized by government officials last month.

On the contrary, Jaume Punti Dachs, who trains endurance horses on part of Sheikh Mohammed's Dalham Hall estate at Moorley Farm East in Newmarket, said that Defra's Veterinary Medicines Directorate was concerned only that he had bought them overseas and imported them rather than buying them in the UK.

Punti Dachs and his wife Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton compete regularly in endurance sport and claim to expect such official visits. In addition to releasing a statement in which he denied any suggestion of wrongdoing, the trainer listed the names and quantities of medication he had brought in from overseas alongside the equivalent product, some under different trade names, he had ordered later that day and which were delivered to him the following day from the Newmarket Equine Hospital.

His statement read: "My stables in Newmarket was visited by the Defra Authorities in early August, where they searched the premises and found normal medications that I brought to the UK and they confiscated them because they were not licensed in this country...

Read more here:
http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/nothing-sinister-in-drugs-seizure-says-endurance-trainer/1528353/top/#newsArchiveTabs=last7DaysNews

Great Britain: Rider Ginny Gidley helps South West win 100-mile Celtic Challenge

Thisisnorthdevon.co.uk - Full Article

September 12 2013

ENDURANCE rider Ginny Gidley praised her "amazing" horse after they helped the South West team win the Celtic Challenge.

Ginny and Desert Kudos, her super-fit nine-year-old horse, finished sixth in a 100-mile race over the Wiltshire countryside.

In a test of speed and stamina against the best from Wales, Scotland and Ireland, they led Devon and Cornwall to first place overall.

Ginny had trained four times a week to ensure they were ready for the arduous task of crossing the terrain of Barbury Castle.

Racing over two days, they had to cover loops up to 20 miles at a time and pass through various checkpoints where the horses were given stringent health checks.

"It's a bit like marathon runners the way you train," said Ginny...

Read more here:
http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/Rider-Ginny-Gidley-helps-South-West-win-100-mile/story-19785119-detail/story.html#axzz2eh0eWx00

Great Britain: Unauthorised medicines seized at Sheikh's stud

Racingpost.com - Full Article

By Graham Green 4:56PM 10 SEP 2013

SHEIKH MOHAMMED is facing fresh embarrassment following the seizure of 124 medical products, none of which have been approved for use on horses in Britain, at part of his Dalham Hall Stud operation in Newmarket.

Although there is no suspicion the haul was destined for the thoroughbred side of the sheikh's operation, the discovery of so many unauthorised medicines on the premises comes in the wake of the doping scandal earlier this year caused by disgraced Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni, since banned from the sport for eight years.

The products, which have not been named, were found at Moorley Farm East, which provides the base within the sprawling estate for the endurance horses owned by members of the Maktoum family...

Read more here:
http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/sheikh-mohammed-unauthorised-medicines-seized-at-sheikhs-stud/1527628/#newsArchiveTabs=last7DaysNews

Czech Republic: Entries announced for European Championship

http://www.endurance.net/international/CzechRepublic/2013EuropeanChampionship/

September 11 2013

Definite entries have been announced for the 2013 Meydan FEI Open European Championship in Most, Czech Republic. 89 riders and horses from 22 countries will start and run for the title of European Champion 2013 on Saturday the 14th.

The race will be 160 km long and will be divided into six phases of 31 km, 25 km, 35 km, 31 km, 19 km, and 19 km.

The race will begin at 6:30 AM. Best Condition judging will take place 3 hours after the finish. The prize giving ceremony will take place Sunday at 11:00 AM.

Great Britain: Meds Seized at Sheikh's Farm Overseas

Bloodhorse.com - Full Article

By Claire Novak, @BH_CNovak
Posted: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 1:57 PM

Britain's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has seized 124 veterinary medicinal products not authorized for use in the United Kingdom from a farm in Newmarket housing endurance horses owned by the Maktoum family, the Racing Post reported Sept. 10...

Read more here:
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/80589/meds-seized-at-sheikhs-farm-overseas

Great Britain: Raided: Moorley Farm East, Newmarket #DopingInSport

Daniel Kelly Blog - Full Story

September 9 2013

On the back of Horse & Hound’s article published yesterday, http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/illegal-drugs-seized-at-stansted-airport/ I’ve spent most of the day trying to find out further details regarding this flight. However, I seem to have stumbled across something bigger.

While British trainers have been raiding prizes throughout the racing world in recent weeks, DEFRA sent a raiding party of their own to Moorley Farm East, Newmarket.

http://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/public/enforcement_notices.aspx#seizure
Moorley Farm East, Newmarket. 124 veterinary medicinal products were seized because they were not authorised in the UK and had not been imported into the UK in accordance with the Regulations. These medicines, in varying quantities, were to be used on horses and included injectables, anaesthetics, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics.

Moorley Farm East is listed on the Directory Of The Turf as part of the Darley Stud Management Company...

Read more here:
http://dgkelly84.wordpress.com/2013/09/09/raided-moorley-farm-east-newmarket-dopinginsport/

Great Britain: Illegal veterinary drugs seized at Stansted Airport

Horseandhound.co.uk - Full Article

5 September 2013
Sophia Heath

A shipment containing thousands of pounds worth of unlicensed veterinary goods — including steroids, bute and anti-inflammatories — was stopped and seized at Stansted Airport at the beginning of the summer (3 May), it has emerged.

The shipment is understood to have contained performance-boosting drugs. They were listed as “horse tack” and brought in on a private plane, which was seized by Border Force officers.

“These medications have the potential to be used to enhance performance in horses, as well as more routine use in general equine practice to combat disease,” said H&H vet Karen Coumbe...

Read more here:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/illegal-drugs-seized-at-stansted-airport/#JO0ESwiJ222OfFyE.99