Horse racing: Staff members fired in Jewels drug row

Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen of the All Stars stable. Photo / Getty Images

A failed drug test by a now former staff member of New Zealand's biggest racing stable was behind the shut down of TAB markets for Saturday's Harness Jewels meetings.

But both the trainers involved and racing officials expect all 10 horses who were drug tested today for fears of contamination will be cleared to start at the $1,275,000 meeting.

Nine horses from the leading stable of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, known as the All Stars, and a horse that travelled from Canterbury to Waikato with them last Sunday were tested by the Racing Integrity Unit yesterday after Purdon raised concerns they could have been in contact with two staff members who were suspected of recreational drug use.

The concerns were first raised after the staff arrived with the horses on Monday and after seeking legal advice, Purdon and Rasmussen asked the two staff, who had not been employed by the stable long, to undergo drug testing.

One refused, the other supplied samples to a registered drug tester which were later found to be positive to at least two recreational drugs. Both staff have since been dismissed.

"We didn't really know what to do next but we knew we had to advise the Racing Integrity Unit for our safety in case something went wrong and to make sure the horses hadn't been contaminated," said Purdon, the long-time champion trainer in New Zealand.

The RIU took urine samples from all nine horse trained by the All Stars today and one, Dibaba, trained by fellow trainers Terry and Glenys Chmiel as it was on the same transporter north.

The RIU also asked the TAB to suspend betting on all the six Jewels races which have horses who have been tested in them and they are likely to remain suspended until results of the tests come back on Friday afternoon.

With pre-raceday fixed odds betting only a fraction of total turnover the suspension is unlikely to greatly affect overall turnover on the meeting.

"It is very unfortunate and has made for a long week but Natalie and I believe we have handled the matter the only way we could both legally as employers and also in regards to our obligations to the industry.

"But we are hopeful and confident the horses haven't been contaminated and will all be cleared to race."

The Harness Jewels feature nine group one races for a minimum of $125,000 to be run at Cambridge Raceway with a crowd of up to 5000 expected.