Katy Brown, a horse trainer based in Co Kildare, has described her recent experience with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) as a “week from hell”, following the abrupt withdrawal of her horse, Petrol Head, from the €270,000 Guinness Galway Hurdle race. Petrol Head, who had been favoured at 6-1, was forced to withdraw just before the event due to a confirmed positive drug test after his previous victory at Bellewstown on July 6th.
The drug test results from LGC laboratories were confirmed at 11.0am, prompting the IHRB directors to pull Petrol Head from the race on account of Rule 21 under horse racing regulations. The substance confirmed was Clenbuterol, which is a prohibited substance. The IHRB have kept silent on the situation until all disciplinary procedures are fully completed.
Brown not only confirmed the banned substance was Clenbuterol, but she also accused the IHRB of harassment, hinting they desired to bar the horse from contending in Ireland’s most lucrative handicap hurdle race. She notably clarified that there was no link between Petrol Head and the animal’s prior trainer, Ronan McNally, who received a record 12-year ban from the IHRB back in 2023.
The IHRB had conducted a lengthy investigation into McNally, resulting in several racing bans for Petrol Head due to concealed information about his ownership. Currently, Petrol Head races for the Orchard Garden syndicate and has clinched two victories since Brown assumed his training.
Brown refuted any connections linking the mingled ownership of her horses, insisting that the Orchard Garden syndicate merely leased the horse in question, along with other horses that remain under her care. She shrugged off rumours that whirl around in the world of horse racing and emphasised the horse’s profile, acknowledging its popularity in betting sites.
She echoed that her reputation as a successful trainer predated and would outlive the horse, and expressed her belief that she was being unfairly targeted, preventing the horse from running in races. Brown disclosed her struggles with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), accusing them of threatening her staff and demanding medical records of the horse in contention dating back to January.
While clarifying that the only substance detected in the horse’s system – Clenbuterol – was from a hair sample and not urine, she remained adamant about her innocence. “I certainly didn’t give the horse anything myself,” she stated defiantly.
She voiced out accusations of bias towards the board, insisting that they were afraid that the horse might win the race and continued their scrutiny until they gleaned the slightest bit of evidence.
On Monday, I took the horse to the beach in Wexford and I was trailed by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB). Following our journey to the beach, I accompanied the horse to Lisadell vets, and the IHRB once again followed. Over the past week, matters have been quite bewildering.
Petrol Head tested positively from an A-sample and I (Brown) was given the option to request for testing of a B-sample. I have been given until Tuesday to make a decision. “Although it sounds worse than it is when it is read,” she remarked.
In response to Brown’s claims, a spokesperson for IHRB stated, “We are conducting an ongoing inquiry into a serious case. The IHRB is optimistic that it has and will remain to adhere to the established procedures, ensuring a thorough and professional investigation.”