Already, there is a mini-flood of mares from Victoria and other states to NSW because the latter allows females to race with trenbolone, trendione or epitrenbolone below a mass concentration of 1 microgram per litre. These emerge from progestogen altrenogest or, commercially, Regu-Mate which is designed to stop horses coming on season. Victoria has a zero limit. (See Chris Roots report in the SMH, 17 December).

The subject is being complicated by an ever increasing selection of drugs, more finite detection equipment in labs, a myriad of items found in everyday foods, and a general absence of any proof of performance-enhancing capabilities.

For both horses and greyhounds, cobalt and arsenic are just the latest additions to a no-tolerance or limited amount attitude to drug controls all without reliable evidence of their impacts. In other words, it has been guesswork.

At least one scientifically based report has rubbished any performance improvement from cobalt; additionally, it claims that testing from urine samples is pointless as it fails to recognise correctly how the substance moves through the animals system.

It's a BULLY BOY tactic ..... plain and simple they have targeted the Hobby trainers more so than the PRO boys .

We have all read the RADB and GRV hearings over the years and a double standard designed to take out as many Hobby Trainers as possible because we are all a Liability to the GRV ..

As you said Julie your Brother was Bullied because of his Financial situation and this is something that must stop now.

The GRV today have Social Media spies employed only to follow us on Social Media
This is why i have been as vocal as i can without getting disqualified but lets call a SPADE A SPADE and the GRV need to stop pretending to be out there helping us all .

Some people have been treated very badly by the GRV and the RADB board in Victoria and this just goes to show Us Julie why it's so WRONG to be judged this way when others have walked free for the same offence or even worse offences they have walked away with just a fine or suspended sentence....

Whoa back. I understand the hardship but the problem lies primarily with GA, which does all the alleged testing as well as commissioning outside studies.

GRV and others are just saluting the flag. Of course, if they were professional about it they would call for more comprehensive assessments. Mind you, that would be odd because the same GRV and others voted for it in the first place around the GA table.

That said, it is hard to remember any GA significant investigation which would stand up to serious analysis. On this subject the longstanding GA policy is to ban anything and everything, regardless of its likely effect on performance.

RADB will be no help as it will simply refer to existing rules - ie if you are on the banned list you have no recourse. I doubt RADB will debate the value of certain chemicals. So the attack must be at the point where the rule is created.

The underlying principle I brought up here is that two great minds - RV and RNSW - have different interpretations about the same substance. Therefore one or both have to be wrong. By extension, any substance on that list has to be suspect.

Let me extend further. It is incumbent on GRV or any other authority to consider the full impact of any rules they make - whether unintended consequences or not. "Reasonable" and "fair" come into it - which is where this discussion should be centred.
You can't just ban Cornflakes because you happen to like Weetbix. Quasi-government bodies cannot just make up rules on a whim.

This is precisely the sort of thing that the various GBOTAs should be tackling - if necessary by levying members or using crowd funding to mount a serious case in law. There is a prima facie case that a ban on cobalt (or arsenic) is costing people hard cash but without achieving anything positive for the industry.

PS Unless you have proof I would discount your comments about targeting hobby trainers. The source of nearly all GRV drug activity is swabbing of winners. No win = no swab = no penalty.

Ken,

The scientific report we are talking about is extremely important but not just for the obvious reason.

Cobalt is alleged to improve red blood cell activity (as with EPO) which is not claimed to improve speed but does help endurance. Cycling and other evidence may well support that contention but it is yet to be proved on another animal - ie greyhounds or even horses (now being tested in USA).

More important is the expert claim that urine or even blood testing for cobalt is dubious post race because of the different way it is absorbed into the body and that a urine check is the wrong place to look. That needs validation.

Whatever a challenge might bring out, it is important to do it anyway as it demonstrates to authorities that they cannot just introduce a rule without proper study and a balanced justification. So far, the best they can claim is that the ban is a protection against "potential abuse", which is pretty weak.

Similar but different objections might be made should any authority try to impose the "puppy bond" which has been rumoured in NSW. That is no more than an insurance policy in case something bad happens - ie it is conjectural and therefore unacceptable.

Clearly, the legal route is the only one which will put participants on a even footing with authorities.

The entire deal is akin to overprescribing of antibiotics by doctors - to the extent that they are now useless for many conditions.

The pattern is such that it is easy for authorities to add a new rule - bureaucrats tend to get paid according to the complexity of the rule book - and then say that it is risky to do any less because X or Y may be harmed. Note "may", not "will".

The water bowl is a classic. In days gone by it was said to be a frequent practice to give the dog a big drink (or a big swim) prior to kennelling if the trainer wanted to retard its performance - ie setting it up for a subsequent killing in the ring. Now they float the "welfare" risk of dehydration, irrespective of the facts.

The underlying problem is the culture of state authorities and therefore GA. Almost none of the stuff you mention is a product of an individual state, rather it is an outcome of some brainwave mentioned at a GA meeting and then expanded via incorrect or unscientific methods into a new rule - or an addition to an already long and tortuous one. The worth or the validity is irrelevant; it is no more than an action you take when someone comes up with an idea. But it looks good on paper or when you have to report to the Minister.

So GA does its bit and sends a copy around to each state, which then automatically adopt it.

You might recall the same lunacy applied to the "confidential memo" from GA to all states suggesting race numbers and breeding should be cut by one third thereby giving the McHugh Commission and the other two Inquiry leaders and many others ammunition to near destroy the industry. All in the name of overbreeding - which had never occurred anyway.

It's all bluff but they are allowed to get away with it.

The bullsh1t has to stop ,
To many Honest people are getting positives and even at the hearings no one is getting told what levels they have recorded only that your dog has gone over 100 Ng
Plus they also play good cop bad cop with many left feeling SET UP and many are left wondering Just what happened because some get railroaded while others get a small fine and suspended sentences ..

By making it public you then expose the TRUTH for us all to then see and i can assure it will get shared and compared...

Keep the bastards honest Mate and i urge you to take them on and play the same game as they play with us all ....Shirt front them ...hit them hard with FACTS and past cases ...Expose them all ...

Have you been in contact with anyone from the GOTBA or the NSW Greyhound Owners and trainers .
If not i would suggest trying to use these people so that they can assist you further .
35 Years i know how it feels mate i was one who got pinged Disqualified for Testaprop when the new levels come in but they did not tell me my levels only that they were above above the threshold.
I also had a clean record and the GRV also breached me with days to go because i replied to a Email from the Shepparton Club Manager Tony McGrath regarding advertisement ..
I was followed taped and i was harrassed and i was railroaded at the hearing .. .
I was set up by the GRV and the GRV even sent Vets and stewards Hundreds of miles away up near Albury to conduct tests on bitches they claimed i had served while i was suspended ....

I believe i was also phone taped because there is no other way they could of got any of this information otherwise ..

At the time the GRV team where conducting secrets recordings of it's Members i know that for a fact and i have the proof .

The GRV spent 10s of Thousands of $$$$ on trying to catch me out i know this for a fact .the PROOF IS THERE IN THE PAPERWORK AT THE GRV Headquarters......Under file Name Kevin Wright Public Owner Breeder trainer number 32280 Exp 29/12/2019

I along with many others understand your frustration and the only regret i have is that i did not have the balls to take them on i hope you can ..

Have a great 2019 and time goes fast but the bitter taste remains ..Cheers Kenneth

The PTB all read everything every person posts on all forums and social media pages so by speaking up it rattles the chains and creates something for them to talk about at there next pow wow meeting ..

I am also aware that many within Government circles get the smoke signals as well when they see and read these things in forums and lets face it Trump won because he controlled the Social Media so we have a tool to use and let's face it many are just walking away today from the sport because of the PTB irresponsible rules and regulations and the over the top penalties they dish out to some but use a different set of rules for others this has to stop ..

If the PTB we really after the cheats they would test for fertagal and they would make sure every Vet has his records in order .
If Vets sell the stuff then there would be a footprint somewhere ..

Peptides are easy to order and buy so why not go after the people who import them into Australia ...for the racing industry ....

All the more reason to have someone with you.
Rest assured nothing will be "recorded" in you favour
against the PTB. Unless they allow you to record the conversation but I can't see that happening.