Pipe facing dope test hearing

Latest racing results

Trainer Martin Pipe faces a Jockey Club disciplinary panel on Wednesday after refusing to let Tanterari enter dope sampling boxes at Haydock Park.

Pipe had previously been warned after twice refusing permission for horses to enter the sampling unit.

On 24 February, his 10-11 favourite Tanterari came last in a race at Haydock and then left before testing.

Pipe was fined £3,000 by the Jockey Club a fortnight ago over the running of Celtic Son at Exeter in October.

Pipe insists he is not opposed to drug testing but says he is concerned about his horses contracting diseases.

"Disease may be spread by the number of horses using the same dope box," he told his personal website.

"Could this be improved? I am not opposed to the procedure of dope testing, but the practice in which the testing is conducted.

The protection of the horse is paramount to the future of racing Martin Pipe

"This system is currently over 50 years old and there must be room for improvement.

"Winners and losers are all tested in the same dope box, one after the other.

"Winners are likely to be healthy whereas losers, beaten favourites and horses that did not run up to form are statistically more likely to be ill and therefore infectious."

However, Jockey Club spokesman John Maxse said: "We informed him that the fear of infection was not an acceptable excuse.

"(He was told) that if he continued to carry out this policy (of not letting horses into the sampling boxes), we would have no option but to consider that those horses not being taken for testing were positive.

"He was told that in the event of this happening again he would be referred to London.

"The recommended range of penalty that we would ask the disciplinary panel to look at would be in line with the guidelines given to penalise the deliberate administration of a prohibited substance.

"That is a fine range of between £2,500 and £12,000. Those figures were included in the correspondence sent to him.

But Pipe added: "Transmission of infection is possible via the dope box or staff, who have recently been in contact with an infected horse.

"I don't believe any protective clothing is worn or disinfection carried out between each horse entering the unit.

"The protection of the horse is paramount to the future of racing. Has any scientific evaluation been carried out on this problem?"