Former trainer Robin Bastiman has been disqualified from racing for three years after administering a horse with a prohibited substance which contained elevated levels of cobalt. Bastiman's daughter, Rebecca, was not in breach of the same offence, but the Wetherby trainer was fined £5,000 after she accepted three other charges linked with the case. A sample taken from John Caesar (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}) after he won at Wolverhampton in April 2016 was tested retrospectively and was found to have contained cobalt, a “prohibited substance when above the permitted level on raceday”.
British Horseracing Authority Chief Regulatory Officer Brant Dunshea said, “This case illustrates how the use of storing and retrospectively testing samples is an effective method for detecting and deterring the use of prohibited substances in British horseracing, as has been seen in other sports. It sends a clear message for anyone who believes they can evade detection by using substances or methods which they believe are currently not detectable or tested for. We are storing significant numbers of samples every year and we are committed to returning to those samples and testing them as new testing methods and techniques are developed. We are also significantly increasing our testing regime, in particular the number of samples we are taking out-of-competition and pre-race. This all contributes towards an anti-doping system which is robust in terms of its volume of testing, but also varied and unpredictable for participants.”
Robin Bastiman, who trained dual G1 Nunthorpe S. winner Borderlescott (GB) (Compton Place {GB}), retired in 2015 when his daughter assumed control of the family's Cowthorpe stables. Last September, County Armagh trainer Stephen McConville and his son, Michael, were banned from racing for three years after they injected Anseanachai Cliste (Ire) (Bach {Ire}) with a tonic that contained cobalt before a race at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2017.
He was told the case against him was "overwhelming" and that his disqualification, for a period of three years, was "inevitable". Bastiman, who was not legally represented and came across throughout as naive and disorganised, rather than corrupt and scheming, seemed unrepentant.
It is a cobalt compound that when fed or injected in sufficient amounts tricks the horse's body into thinking it does not have sufficient oxygen in its red blood cells. This then stimulates the body to produce erythropoietin (EPO) – a hormone needed to increase red cell production.
However, absorbing a large amount of cobalt over longer periods of time can lead to serious health problems, such as: Cardiomyopathy (a problem where your heart becomes big and floppy and has problems pumping blood)
Clinical signs of cobalt deficiency are the same as for vitamin B 12 deficiency and include lethargy, loss of appetite, poor growth, anemia, and weight loss.
Excess EPO production has been linked to the deaths of athletes and cyclists. Cobalt can be administered to horses easily as a powder, feed supplement or injection. Although naturally occurring in horses, excessive amounts of the substance in the system can lead to severe side effects.
The replenishment of cobalt for Vitamin B12 synthesis is therefore very important so that Vitamin B12 can fulfill its role in energy metabolism. A 500 kg / 1100 lb horse's recommended daily requirement of cobalt is 0.5 – 0.6 mg.
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