OTI principals question vet influence

Terry Henderson and Simon O'Donnell, principals of leading Australian syndicate OTI Racing, have released a special edition newsletter to their partners, expressing their views on the ongoing cobalt scandal in Victoria. One of several horses to have returned elevated levels of cobalt is Lidari (Fr) (Acclamation), trained for OTI by Peter Moody and who was tested following his runner-up effort in the G1 Turnbull S., Oct. 4.

Henderson and O'Donnell re-affirmed their position on doping, saying, “We abhor the use of illegal practices to gain advantage or impact negatively on the well-being of our racehorses,” and expressed full support to the Integrity Department of Racing Victoria. The pair also voiced concerns as to the level of influence that vets have gained in racing stables over the last thirty years. “There has been a distinct cultural shift since the 1980's in favour of their use,” they said. “Given the dependence by many trainers on their services, one wonders if we have now reached the position where vets have far too much influence. For some trainers, the vets are the prime, possibly the only, source of research on medications and supplements.” 

Henderson and O'Donnell continued, “There is little doubt that this cultural shift in the use of vets has led to the overuse of pre-race/post-race medications (many scientifically shown to be useless) as well as over-treatment generally. Some trainers see these treatments as some sort of 'security blanket' around race time. Such unwarranted services take the focus away from horsemanship, the core of a trainer's business.” 
In addition to its Australian contingent, OTI Racing has horses in training in several European countries, and the managing duo pointed out, “We know that, on average, vet costs in Australia are over four times those of some of the world's best training stables in France and the UK.”

In the same document, Henderson and O'Donnell called for swift action by Racing Victoria officials, putting forward a measure aimed at restoring the industry's integrity. “While we understand due process must be followed, lack of action in the interim only adds to the loss of credibility,” they said. “One action worthy of consideration is the appointment of a stable steward from the integrity team to work within each of the stables. Such a step would do little in respect of past practices, but it would help confirm that current practices of each of the stables are appropriate. Importantly, it may help mitigate some loss of the industry's reputation during the investigation. The trainers themselves should benefit as the goodwill shown on their part may assist in protecting their reputations.”