Doping scandal rocks horseracing world

On a day that shocked the world of horseracing, it was announced that nearly 25% out the horses at the Godolphin stable have tested positive for banned anabolic steroids. Acting on a tip-off, urine samples from all of the horses were taken on April 9 and the results have just been revealed.

Following tests carried out at the Horseracing Forensic laboratory, mass spectrometry detected ethylestranol in 7 of the 45 horses stabled there and stanozolol in 4 more. They included Certify, an unbeaten filly that has since been withdrawn from the 1000 Guineas which will be run at Newmarket in May.

"Because the horses involved were not racing at the time, I did not realise that what I was doing was in breach of the rules of racing," said Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni. However, anabolic steroids are banned at all times under the British horseracing rules.