Godolphin announced Monday that several of the horses banned from racing because of the Mahmoud Al Zarooni steroids scandal, including English St Leger winner Encke, will return to action in the next few months.
Artigiano and Steeler could be the first runners at Meydan Racecourse on Thursday, while Encke and Certify, the former English 1,000 Guineas favourite, will be seen later in the season. Encke has not raced since he upset Camelot’s historic bid to land the English Triple Crown at Doncaster in September 2012.
He will go back into training with Charlie Appleby, Al Zarooni's former assistant who now trains from Godolphin's Marmoom Stables in Dubai, with the intention of running in Europe later this year.
Steeler, who joined Godolphin from Mark Johnston after finishing third in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in 2012, has been entered by Appleby to the first round of the Al Maktoum Challenge, the US$250,000 (Dh918,300) feature at the UAE’s flagship racecourse.
Stablemate Artigiano could run in the upgraded Singspiel Stakes, an 1,800-metre contest, which, for the first time, carries Listed status and is worth $150,000.
Certify, unbeaten as a juvenile in 2012 with wins in the May Hill and the Fillies’ Mile, will reappear later in the Carnival.
“We decided recently to continue with some of the horses who did not race last year,” Simon Crisford, the Godolphin racing manager, told the organisation’s website.
“They include current entries Artigiano and Steeler plus Certify, who will be aimed at the top fillies’ contests during the Carnival. Encke is also in training and will go for races in Europe later in the year.”
Al Zarooni was disqualified for eight years in April for administering anabolic steroids to at least 15 horses in his care, including Certify.
Another seven horses were found to have been administered steroids in May, among which were Encke and Steeler.
All 22 horses were banned for six months – the mandatory period considered necessary for steroids to leave the system of a thoroughbred racehorse – and are now free to race in any jurisdiction around the world.
Elsewhere, the Emirates Racing Authority have concluded their inquiry into a report from the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory that the prohibited substances caffeine and theophylline were detected in a post-race sample taken from Journalistic.
The horse, trained an owned by Mohammed Abdelmajid, finished last in the Commercial Bank of Dubai at Jebel Ali last month when virtually pulled up under Jesus Rosales.
Abdelmajid admitted to the breach of the UAE rules of racing and, having had a previous charge relating to prohibited substances in 2011, he was disqualified for three months, to end on April 6, and fined Dh15,000.
sport@thenational.ae
