Avoiding A Self-Inflicted Wound

There's a sad synchronicity to how Philip Fenton will probably saddle a runner before there's agreement on a new Anti-Doping policy for Irish racing. It was January 2012 when Department of Agriculture officials found anabolic steroids at Fenton's yard. Since then the industry's reputation has been damaged, Fenton has served his three year disqualification, and there still isn't a reformed drugs system in place. Such a glacial pace reflects well on nobody. It's in that context that failure to sign off on the long-awaited proposed new policy will be scandalous.

The proposed 'Industry Wide Policy On Prohibited Substances/Doping Control' is currently being examined by representative groups ahead of a vital Horse Racing Ireland board meeting next week. Fenton has made his first entry since getting his licence back for a bumper at Killarney on Thursday. The coincidence should help concentrate minds.

Considering much of what's in the new document was recommended by the Anti-Doping Task Force set up as an absolute priority after Fenton's disqualification - and which reported all of two and a half years ago - it makes all the foot dragging that's taken place, which led to many suspecting agreement between all the relevant parties was all but impossible, even more regrettable.

When the Task Force had to be reconvened last year, mostly because of failure to reach a solution on a jurisdictional issue that would allow Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board vets carry out tests on unlicensed premises such as stud farms, it looked a last desperate throw of the dice. But almost despite itself racing could be on the verge of actual meaningful reform.

There's always a danger in predicting new dawns and the devil is always in the detail. But I've seen the proposed new policy and if there appear to be holes in some specifics it does look a serious attempt overall to drag the thoroughbred industry here into a process which for too long it seemed unable to acknowledge as being for its own good.

There are worrying aspects. Certainly the idea of "prior day notification" for random inspections is hardly ideal. There is also more than a light drizzle of aspirational language which allows for the sort of wriggle room beloved of bureaucrats everywhere. But considering the depth of division it is probably unavoidable.

Central to the jurisdictional quandary is the proposed Service Level Agreement (SLA) which will "enable some or all of the IHRB’s veterinary officers be appointed authorised officers for the purposes of section 10 of the Animal Remedies Act 1993." It is proposed that if IHRB officials do uncover a problem the matter will be handed to the Department of Agriculture to pursue.

There is also a delicate piece of draft wording worthy of the 'Stormont Agreement' that states: "It is accepted that, as thoroughbred breeders are not licensed by the IHRB, they are not subject to the Rules of Racing.

"Without prejudice to the IHRB’s existing powers, it is acknowledged that this agreement does not and cannot extend in any new way the jurisdiction of the IHRB to thoroughbred breeders.

"It is however accepted that the normal procedures of the Animal Remedies Act and Regulations will apply in relation to findings of prohibited substances taken by authorised officers of the IHRB under a service level agreement."

To which one can only say whatever works for you, so long as actual testing takes place. The proposed new document also rules out Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE's) and allows for a lifetime ban for any horse found to have tested positive in any country for prohibited substances such as anabolic steroids.

The traceability of every thoroughbred throughout its life is a pretty basic requirement if one is to fight cheats. It is now proposed Horse Racing Ireland, IHRB and Wetherbys Ireland will pursue the introduction of a database which can follow horses from their notification as foals.

To ensure such traceability breeders will be required to notify Weatherbys of a foal within 30 days of birth with submission of a blood sample. From then on every horse will be liable to testing "regardless of their whereabouts."

Increased out of competition testing will include unlicensed premises such as pre-training yards and to facilitate better traceability trainers will be required to notify Horse Racing Ireland of the whereabouts of any horse when it is being returned out of training.

Final agreement between HRI, Weatherbys, IHRB, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association, the associations representing owners and trainers, as well as the three sales companies, Goffs, Tattersalls and Goresbridge, is now required on the proposed policy. If everyone signs up it is envisaged to be in place for the start of 2019 and the new foal crop.

There's always any amount of work to do on any amount of the detail involved on any new structure. Mundane but vital arguments in relation to logistics and budgets will be all but impossible to avoid. But none of it can happen without the structure being in place first of all. Finally, and somehow, there's a chance such a structure can be put in place.

Failure to make it happen now would be a terrible and needless self-inflicted wound for an industry so adamant about there being nothing to see anyway.

A well deserved tip of the hat to Patrick Mullins who became the most successful amateur jockey ever when reaching 546 winners at Sligo on Sunday.

Considering his height Mullins does a remarkable job of making weight. He is also a bright, confident guy and never fails to acknowledge his good fortune in being able to ride for his father, Willie, who just happens to be the most successful National Hunt trainer of all.

In that regard he is fated to the same lot as both Joseph and Donnacha O'Brien in terms of how their riding talents are perceived.

There are those who vehemently insist Mullins is a middle of the road jockey in terms of ability. Considering how vehement criticism can be of almost every rider at some stage such a view could almost be taken as a compliment.

Others argue he brings a rare intelligence and sureness of touch to these Mullins bumper hotpots although the counter-claim invariably can be that if a jockey isn't confident riding these horses then they'll never be confident about anything.

It's the sort of divided opinion the O'Brien's know only too well. Willie Mullins probably recognises it from his own riding days too when riding for his own father. And since there's nothing to be done about parentage no doubt none of them lose any sleep over it, consoling themselves instead with making the most of their opportunities.

A total of 546 winners in just over a dozen years is no mean achievement for any Irish based jockey. For an amateur it is truly unique. Mullins has got opportunities others may only dream about. But no one can argue he hasn't made the most of them.

Perception also played a part in Jim Culloty's training career which has reportedly ended with him handing in his licence. Over a dozen years Culloty trained 44 winners in Ireland and four in Britain. They just happened to include three Cheltenham festival victories including, most memorably of all, Lord Windermere's dramatic Gold Cup in 2014.

The vast majority of trainers don't come close to such giddy heights. But despite that a perception seemed to flourish within the game that Culloty got lucky. If that's true he got lucky more often than most. But if it's hard to get a reputation it's even harder to shake one off. Culloty mightn't have done himself any favours sometimes. But his move starkly illustrates how cut-throat training can be.

Finally, the old line about there being no weak Group 1 races, and just try and win one to find out, is no doubt rooted in good sense. And maybe Kew Gardens will continue to improve and wind up a proper star performer. But if he doesn't then he can still boast a Grand Prix de Paris victory even if, right now, it looks as soft a Group One as has been won in quite a while.