Racing WA stewards have concluded the inquiry in relation to the report issued by the ChemCentre in Perth, that trendione and altrenogest had been detected in the urine sample taken from Magicash following it racing in, and winning, Race 4 at Bunbury on 12 June 2024.
These findings had been verified by the Racing Analytical Services Laboratory in Victoria.
At the inquiry conducted on 19 September 2024, after hearing evidence from Trainer T Ikenushi, Stable Foreperson Ms P Kenney, ChemCentre representative Dr A Nolan, Racing WA Head of Veterinary Services Dr J Medd and Racing WA Senior Investigator Mr A Walton, Mr Ikenushi pleaded guilty to the following charges:
Charge 1
AR 240(2) – Prohibited substance in sample taken from horse at race meeting
Particulars: That Mr Ikenushi was the licensed trainer of Magicash when it was brought to race at Bunbury on 12 June 2024 where it raced in and won Race 4, with the prohibited substance trendione, being a Prohibited List A substance, being detected in a post-race urine sample taken from it.
Charge 2
AR104 – Trainers must keep treatment records
Particulars: That Mr Ikenushi as the licensed trainer did fail to comply with the provision of AR104 by not maintaining a record of treatments for horses he trained.
After adjourning to consider penalty, stewards have now determined to issue a fine of $15,000 in relation to Charge 1 and a fine of $750 in relation to Charge 2.
In determining penalty, stewards considered, amongst other things.
- That Mr Ikenushi had an unblemished record and had pleaded guilty to the charges.
- That the detection of a prohibited substance arose from the use of an altrenogest containing product which had been his common practice for some time after receiving advice from his veterinarian.
- That altrenogest is an exempted substance under the rules. Commercial products containing altrenogest used for oestrus suppression in fillies and mares were known to potentially contain low level traces of trenbolone and/or trendione as impurities resulting from the manufacturing process.
- That a notice to trainers issued by RWWA on 1 January 2024 stated, amongst other things,
Trainers are strongly warned that the use of altrenogest products in racing fillies and mares has the potential to result in a race day sample that is positive to trenbolone and/or trendione.
RWWA therefore recommends that products containing altrenogest not be used during training or racing.
- That although Mr Ikenushi had received the SMS message sent to all trainers when the above notice was published online on 1 January 2024, he had not materially reviewed or altered his practices with respect to his use of altrenogest.
- The need for penalties to serve suitable deterrence and encourage compliance with the recommendation that products containing altrenogest not be used during training or racing.
In determining penalty, stewards stated:
“We make clear that this penalty is not intended to represent a long-term precedent as in our view disqualification would otherwise be appropriate in most instances of similar nature in the future.
As time elapses and trainers (and their vets) have more time to become aware of, appreciate and adjust to the recommendation not to use this product, penalties of disqualification are likely to result when these substances are detected as fines of this magnitude do not reflect the seriousness of such offending and are an insufficient level of deterrence in our view.”
Further, in relation to Magicash, stewards have determined the following:
- AR 240 (1) – To disqualify Magicash from winning Race 4 at Bunbury on 12 June 2024 with placings to be amended accordingly and commensurate implications to all stake money and payments.
- AR 242 (b) – to disqualify Magicash from races it competed in since the taking of the sample on 12 June 2024 which include:
- Race 3 at Belmont on 22 June 2024 (fifth place)
- Race 7 at Belmont on 10 July 2024 (eleventh place)
Placings are to be amended accordingly with commensurate implications to all stake money and payments.
- AR 248 (4) – To direct that Magicash not be permitted to start in any race, official trial or jump-out for a period of not less than 12 months from the date of collection of the sample (12 June 2024) and until after an Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Clearing Certificate is provided in respect of a sample taken from the horse as from 12 May 2025.
All trainers are again reminded of the Industry notice available notice-to-trainers---altrenogest-products.pdf (racingwa.com.au) which recommends that products containing altrenogest not be used during training or racing due to the potential for commercial products containing altrenogest used for oestrus suppression in fillies and mares to contain low level traces of trenbolone and/or trendione which may cause a positive swab.