Trainer Hughie Morrison has avoided a potentially career-ending ban after a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel ruled on Friday that he was not at fault for an anabolic steroid positive returned by a filly in his care in January. While he has been cleared of a ban-which could have been one to 10 years-he has been slapped with a £1,000 fine.
Our Little Sister (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) tested positive for nandrolone as the result of random sampling after finishing last of eight at Wolverhampton on Jan. 14. The case had ensued since, with Morrison denying his involvement and arguing foul play while offering a £10,000 cash reward for anyone that could help prove his innocence. Morrison has canvassed a handful of possible culprits-including disgruntled former employees, a hostile neighbour and a rival trainer-but it is still unclear who in fact injected the filly. An equine toxicologist engaged by Morrison determined the steroid was likely administered between Dec. 8 and Jan. 8, and likely during the midpoint of that time period, all of which she was stabled at Morrison's yard. Morrison argued that the substance could have been administered when the filly was at Southwell to race on Jan. 2; surveillance footage of that meeting was no longer available when requested in March.
As the caretaker responsible for the filly, Morrison was subject to a lengthy ban unless he could establish that the substance was not administered intentionally by him or anyone involved with him in any way, and that he had taken all reasonable precautions to avoid a prohibited substance being given to the horse.
The 57-year-old Morrison said on Friday, “There's no ban. We've been completely exonerated, so the hell of the last 11 months can be forgotten. All my staff are having a celebration now and it's very emotional.”
“I cannot overstate the stress that has been caused by this long-running case both for me, my wife, all my staff and connections and the relief now felt having been rightly and so comprehensively exonerated,” he added. “The culprit who injected the filly is still out there so everyone needs to be on their guard.”
Morrison's lawyer Andrew Chalk said in a statement, “The most important thing is that the panel has concluded that the prohibited substance was not administered by Mr. Morrison or anyone under his control. From an early stage the weight of the evidence pointed towards that conclusion but it is always a relief when the correct decision is made in a case where the career of a highly respected trainer with an impeccable record is on the line, and when any disqualification would have a devastating impact on those working in the yard and the local community. The panel have concluded that no fault lies at Mr. Morrison's door, and he can hold his head high. Let's now hope that the real culprit can be found.”
BHA chief regulatory officer Jamie Stier said in a statement, “As was set out in our opening submissions, the BHA had no positive case to put to any individual witness because the BHA could not say who administered the anabolic steroid to the horse. However, it was the BHA's case that Mr. Morrison's assertion that this was a malicious act by someone completely outside of his control is unlikely. It was not the BHA's case that the administration of the substance 'must have been done by Mr. Morrison or somebody at his direction.' We respect the panel's decision, the rules of racing have been upheld and the matter of penalty is a matter wholly for the disciplinary panel to determine.”
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