The British Horseracing Authority could prevent any horse that has run or has been trained in Dubai from competing under its jurisdiction in Great Britain if they have reason to believe it has benefitted from the administration of anabolic steroids.
The BHA require the connections to all overseas runners to fill in a form detailing the full medical history of horses in their care before those horses are permitted to compete.
Britain operates under a zero- tolerance policy with regards to anabolic steroids but they are allowed to be administered in the UAE. "The Authority's Rules of Racing lay out that international visiting horses racing under BHA Rules do so on equal terms with each other and resident British horses, that is to race free from the effects of drugs, either medication or other substances," the regulatory body states on its website.
"No horse may race under the effect of any substance, or any substance that might affect performance; as such veterinary medications must be withdrawn for an appropriate period before racing," it adds.
Although there is little concrete veterinary proof as to exactly how long a racehorse benefits from a course of steroids, the BHA banned all 15 horses that were given the drugs in Mahmoud Al Zarooni's care for a period of six months.
According to Dr Lynn Hillyer, the BHA vet, this was the least amount of time she had under consideration for the suspension.
Peter Moody, the trainer of Black Caviar, has stated that the unbeaten sprinter had never received steroids before she won the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last season, while Team Valor have also underlined that Animal Kingdom, the Dubai World Cup winner, was free from drugs before this year's meeting next month.
