HMQueen and morphine

www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/qu...rugs-test.1406052314

Queen's horse fails drugs test
Tuesday 22 July 2014
A racehorse owned by the Queen has tested positive for morphine, a prohibited substance, Buckingham Palace announced.

Estimate, which won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2013 and came second in the same race this year, is a five-year-old filly trained by Sir Michael Stoute.

Initial indications are that the positive test resulted from the consumption of a contaminated feed product, the palace said. The Queen, who cheered the horse on to success at Royal Ascot last year, has been informed of the development.

A statement by John Warren, the Queen's Bloodstock and Racing Advisor, said: "On Thursday July 17 the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced that a number of post-race samples, obtained from recent race meetings, had been found to indicate the presence of morphine, which is a prohibited substance on race days. Five horses, under the care of various trainers, were affected.

"I can confirm that one of those horses was Estimate, the five year-old filly trained by Sir Michael Stoute and owned by The Queen. Initial indications are that the positive test resulted from the consumption of a contaminated feed product.

"Sir Michael is working closely with the feed company involved to discover how the product may have become contaminated prior to delivery to his stables.

"As the BHA investigates this matter, including potential links between the different cases, Sir Michael continues to offer his full co-operation. There will be no further comment until the BHA announces its considered findings. Her Majesty has been informed of the situation."

this is related to another string...HIbs can you link up please?

Seen something on the news Don,would imagine it`s from the same batch of contaminated feed?

I always though she took drugs.

Bob Brogan wrote: Seen something on the news Don,would imagine it`s from the same batch of contaminated feed?

Yes also seen this on the news earlier today

Morphine: the key questions answered
By Tony Smurthwaite & Chris Humpleby 4:08PM 23 JUL 2014

The news that five racehorses, including the Queen's Estimate, have tested positive for morphine has turned into the biggest drugs story to hit racing since the Mahmood Al Zarooni doping scandal early last year. But just how serious is it all and what are the likely consequences? Here's what we know so far:

Can morphine enhance a horse's performance?
The authorities believe it can enhance raceday performance hence it is banned in raceday samples. A result of two micrograms per millilitre in urine is sufficient to produce a positive.

Trainer James Given, also a qualified vet, says: "Morphine is an opiate analgesic used to mask pain. I've heard it described as the 'gold standard' of pain relief. It has a therapeutic purpose.

"The levels found are likely to have been microscopic, to the extent where if you or I had it in our system we wouldn't know it was there. With some drugs the BHA operate threshold levels regarding acceptable quantities that can be traced in samples, but with morphine any trace is considered a breach of race-day rules."

Do trainers use it on their horses?
While not banned from use in training, there is little evidence of its use. Given says: "I haven't heard of anyone using it in this country, ever. I've never used it and I suspect trainers don't because there are other effective forms of pain relief."

What caused the presence of morphine in these five post-race samples?
Well-known feed company Dodson & Horrell has suggested contaminated Alfalfa Oil Plus - a chaff that provides slow release energy - was the culprit and, further to that, via poppy seeds that occur naturally in the environment.

However, trainer Eve Johnson Houghton - who admitted on Wednesday her horse Charlie Wells had also tested positive - said although she uses Dodson & Horrell products, she has never fed her horses Alfalfa Oil Plus.

Given says: "I suspect it has been an issue with contaminated feed. Poppies are grown for a pharmacological purpose, so it could have been spread through problems with transportation, or if harvesting and storage equipment hasn't been cleaned properly.

"I suspect this isn't a common occurrence as I know feed companies operate stringent policies with their suppliers and insist that the equipment they use is properly treated."

What happens to those horses who have tested positive?
They can still run in races, and Estimate is expected to re-appear at Glorious Goodwood next week, but they are likely to face disqualification from the races after which they tested positive.

While disqualification is not automatic, each case will be considered by the BHA's disciplinary panel. If the positive sample was found to be the result of feed, it is most likely the horse will be disqualified from that race and equally likely that there will be no action against the trainer in question.

So Estimate will be disqualified from second place in the Gold Cup, meaning the Michael Winters-trained 40-1 shot Missunited will be promoted to second place, Brown Panther to third, Simenon to fourth, Oriental Fox to fifth and Altano to sixth, the last placing to earn prize-money.

What happens to the prize-money earned by Estimate at Royal Ascot?
In running second in the Gold Cup Estimate earned her owner, the Queen, prize-money of £80,625. If and when Estimate is disqualified this amount will pass to the owner of the third-placed finisher Missunited, Vanessa Hutch, while the prize-money Missunited earned for finishing third, £40,350, passes to the owners of Brown Panther one of whom is Michael Owen, and so on down to sixth place.

Will there be any recriminations as a result of the episode?
It remains to be seen what was the source of the contamination and whether responsibility is admitted.

Given says: "Feed companies aren't regulated or licensed, but I'm not sure if there will be any fall-out regarding the situation with the British Equine Trade Association (BETA), but that only requires a voluntary sign-up agreement.

"This incident only seems to involve one feed company, so much will depend on the relationship between the company and its customers and what that company does for its customers."

She looked ok last night at the games

She looked ok last night at the games

Dave Scott wrote: She looked ok last night at the games[/quote

Morphine masking Her pain?

Being the queen, I'm sure she has always had access to and enjoyed the good stuff...