Unbeaten racehorse tests positive for cocaine after biggest win of career and faces being stripped of £110,000 winnings
RACING is in shock after an unbeaten horse tested positive for cocaine following the biggest win of his career.
Rising star End Assembly faces being stripped of his £110,000 winnings after returning a positive sample for the Class A drug.
The gelding sprint sensation tested positive after his victory in the Listed Gold Edition Plate last December.
Both the horse’s A and B urine samples showed traces of cocaine.
End Assembly’s trainer Mark Currie, who is based in Queensland, Australia, will be hauled before stewards next week to explain what happened.
In a statement, a Queensland Racing Integrity commission spokesman said: “A Toowoomba-trained racehorse has tested positive for cocaine, following its win in a $200,000 (£110,000) feature race at Eagle Farm in December last year.
“The results of the post-race urine sample conducted by QRIC’s Racing Science Centre and Victoria’s Racing Analytical Services have returned positive to the banned illicit drug.”
Horses who test positive for banned drugs are normally stripped of victory and their owner’s return the prize money they won.
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End Assembly has shot to superstardom Down Under.
He won his first two races by a combined 12 lengths before easing home in the race under question at the end of last year.
He was an 8-1 chance when cruising home over six furlongs at the Queensland summer carnival.
It is not yet known how the drug got into the horse’s system.
But this not the first time a horse has tested positive for cocaine.
In September 2020 Walk In The Sun – a horse bought for more than £1million – was disqualified after testing positive for the drug following a win at Kempton two years earlier.
Former trainer Jeremy Noseda was fined £1,500.
He said at the time: “I had a very fair hearing. William Norris QC headed the panel.
“He and his panel found, unreservedly, that I was not responsible for this and never instructed anybody regarding it.”
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