TUESDAY MARCH 4th RACING POST 2014. WILLIE MULLINS (IRE) BEING ULTRA - VIGILANT ABOUT THE SECURITY OF HIS 40 HORSES COMING OVER SUPPLIED BY THE BHA IS IT GOOD ENOUGH?

   

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"Mullins raises doping fears

 

Jon Lees and Johnny Ward

"WILLIE MULLINS yesterday said he would be ultra-vigilant about the security of the team he sends to the Cheltenham Festival next week becsause of the "constant threat" his horses could be got at before they run.

 

"Ireland's champion trainer could run up to 40 horses, including three of the festival best-backed-contenders - Hurricane Fly, Quevega and Annie Power - his apprehension has been heightened  by the discovery .

 

"The BHA said it regarded racecourse to be of  "paramount importance " and that round- the- clock security was in place to protect competitors  at Cheltenham, but trainers had the option to request pre-race tests if there was any suspicion of an attempt to drug a horse.

 

"Mullins has never seen horses doped at the races but claimed: "We know it does happen. There are people there to do it. The horses are most at risk from people who want to lay them. "

 

"He continued:  We feel like this every year going to Cheltenham, every big meeting.

 

"My father's horse's were doped in  the early 1980's. There was a gang going around doing it, I don't think they were ever caught. Plenty of them were found in stables at the racecourse ; the authorities knew ther drugs involved.

It was very simple stuff , but it did go on and horses were doped. We didn't  realise it at the time.

 

"When you do realise what's happening, then you spot it straight away. We couldn't figure it out back then. Horses were finishing last, they'd be going down to the start dead as doornails. "

 

" Trainer Philip Fenton has been charged with possession of anabolic steroids in Ireland and his horses with entries at the festival have been tested by the BHA, the results of which are expected this week.

 

"During the Grand National meeting in 2007 a reporter from a tabloid newspaper armed with a bucket got past stable security and entered the box of the Mullins -trained Hedgehunter, and the trainer said he has warned staff to  be  on their guard. I'm always warning my staff the horses have to be minded all the time., he added. "To me it's a constant threat and I view it that way.

 

"He said festival security was "quite good" .

 

"Security in the racecourse stabling at the Cheltenham racecourse ,  the responsibility of the BHA government,  who use bloodhorse illiterate  spokesman  Robin Mounsey, the wrong man, in the wrong job. Yet more of BHA'S  bloodhorse illiterate fob off lip service.

 

"Cheltenham clerk of course Simon Claisse said: "We have a large security contingent around the whole site from the Thursday before the festival.  From the moment a horse sets foot into the stable yard his security is entirely in the hands of the BHA. "

 

COMMENT

Tony Smurthwaite  head of news.

"There's no room for complacency. "