Last year's GI Canadian International winner Cannock Chase (Lemon Drop Kid) has been disqualified from his win in the Sept. 25 Listed Sakhee Godolphin S. at Newmarket after testing positive for a prohibited substance. The medication in question is O-desmethyltramadol, a metabolite of tramadol, a prohibited pain medication. The British Horseracing Authority found no substances or products in Stoute's yard, or in the care of his service providers, in an investigation conducted last October. The BHA also reported there were cases over adverse analytical findings of O-desmethyltramadol and/or tramadol in other yards, but a commonality could be found between the cases.
Stoute was fined £1,000 and his attorney William Norris said that while he accepted the horse's disqualification, he maintained Stoute had done nothing wrong.
In an unrelated incident, Cannock Chase was on Thursday ruled out of Royal Ascot's G2 Hardwicke S. after suffering a minor injury. “He's picked up a small injury and will not be going to Ascot. He had worked extremely well on Wednesday before he picked up the injury and he's going to miss Ascot, I'm afraid,” said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail.
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