THE Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board [IHRB] and the Veterinary Council of Ireland [VCI] have signed a Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] on the administering of equine medicine.

It is understood the agreement centres on a shared view that only veterinarians or registered veterinary nurses should administer intravenous injections to horses.

According to the IHRB’s most recent half-yearly anti-doping report, the MoU is intended to ‘assist and support’ both the VCI and the IHRB in performing their individual regulatory functions, and to enable the sharing of information as relevant between the two organisations.

Of specific relevance to trainers and handlers is the IHRB agreement to share and ensure compliance with the position of the VCI on administering of medications.

Statement

Earlier this year the VCI published a statement which read: “The VCI considers that the administration of a veterinary medicinal product via an intravenous injection to a horse; the taking of blood samples intravenously from a horse and the performance of upper respiratory tract endoscopy in horses are all procedures that constitute the practice of veterinary medicine.

“Under no circumstance should any of these procedures be performed by persons who are not on the Register of Veterinary Practitioners or the Register of Veterinary Nurses.”

The IHRB’s biannual report details increased pre-race sampling and the addition of ‘on arrival’ testing which will begin in the second half of the year.

Darragh O’Loughlin, IHRB chief executive, said: “Equine anti-doping is a top priority for the IHRB, as it is for the sport, and we have no tolerance for any breaches of anti-doping rules.

“Swifter prosecution of adverse analytical findings and stringent penalties for breaches will continue to demonstrate our seriousness in this regard. Owners and trainers who comply with the rules deserve to be protected from those who don’t.”