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The run-up to Sunday’s non-spectator Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe meeting in Paris became more confusing on Friday night when it emerged that Aidan O’Brien’s four runners had been fed a product that could be tainted with a ban. substance.
Gain Equine Nutrition said Friday night that it is “investigating the potential presence of a contaminant in some batches of our range of equine feed.” As a result, “the company’s clients with competing horses are advised to refrain from feeding their animals our products in all disciplines.”
The prohibited substance in question is believed to be zilpaterol, which is commonly used by farmers to fatten their animals prior to slaughter.
Details of possible contamination emerged on Friday afternoon when France Galop, the governing body for racing in France, revealed that five horses in its jurisdiction had tested positive for zilpaterol, and that a “common denominator” in these cases appeared to be the food products produced by Gain. .
O’Brien, whose four declared riders for the Arc include Serpentine, the easy winner of the Derby at Epsom in July, confirmed to the Racing Post Friday night that his horses had been fed Gain products through Thursday night before. to switch to an alternative. Friday morning.
The Irish champion coach has also declared Japan, Mogul and Sovereign among the 15 riders. Blood and urine samples from all of his scheduled runners in France this weekend were sent for urgent analysis, but the results are not expected until Saturday night, after his two runners declared on Saturday have already been released. .
The Racing Post suggests that tests on O’Brien’s Gain feed came back positive for zilpaterol, but at such low levels that it may not translate into a positive in a horse.
“They say that after a day and a half or two days, the substance should disappear from the horse’s system,” O’Brien told the newspaper. “So if, when we get the results, there is a trace of the substance in it, we will have to see how much there is and then make a decision, after changing the diet for two days, whether we should run on Sunday or not. They say it should be clear by then, so we’ll have to see. “
Enable, the favorite for Sunday’s race, and Stradivarius, the second seed, are unaffected by the news, as their coach, John Gosden, confirmed Friday night that he does not use Gain products.
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