Racing: Paget wants to find whodunnit

Jonathan Paget on Clifton Promise is fighting for his future. Photo / Libby Law

Possible food contamination, trespassing and inadequate stable security are factors to be investigated as Jock Paget attempts to clear his name after his horse Clifton Promise tested positive to the banned sedative reserpine.

The 29-year-old stands to be disqualified for up to two years under the International Equestrian Federation's (FEI) 'person responsible' stipulation.

The Herald on Sunday has been told by veterinary sources, who preferred not to be named, the drug can be found as a contaminant in horse feed. Hay, pasture and the herbs and plants in supplements can apparently trigger positive tests.

One such precedent is the case of Christine Yeoman who rode CJS Gai Forest at an event in September 2010. The horse tested positive for the banned drug ractopamine which was found in Neigh-Lox, a product used to prevent gastric ulcers. While Yeoman didn't face sanctions, she was disqualified from the event and ordered to pay her own court costs.

Another case from the same date - this time involving reserpine - saw Dutch rider Jurgen Stenfert banned for 18 months from FEI competitions. It emerged his horse had been administered Rakelin by a temporary Portuguese stable hand who felt mistreated by the rider.

British show jumper Michael Whitaker successfully appealed a four-month suspension to the British Olympic Association in 2010 after his groom admitted accidentally giving legitimately medicated feed intended for another horse.

There is also disbelief in veterinary circles over why a rider would choose reserpine to aid a horse in eventing. The common belief is it would be good to calm horses for dressage but hinder them in cross-country or showjumping. Once the drug is injected, it takes about eight days to get out of a horse's system.

One veterinary source suggested colleagues were looking at each other saying: "Are you kidding? Everyone knows that it swabs."

Stable security at future four-star equestrian events like Badminton and Burghley is an area expected to be subjected to more scrutiny.

Equestrian Sports New Zealand high performance coach Erik Duvander says they have had few problems because of the trust among riders but there is the potential for outside influence.

There were just two entrances to the stable block at Burghley. One was closed off at night but could be accessed by jumping the fence.

"I'm old-fashioned in that I want the same system to continue but instances like this make it less likely," Duvander said. "For the FEI to ensure horses' safety is 100 per cent risk-free would be a massive logistical job. Historically, people haven't been screened, they've been selected on trust."

The Olympics and 2010 World Games in Kentucky apparently had closed circuit security but ESNZ chief executive Jim Ellis says webcams in stalls would be "a helluva expense".

"The stabling security for top eventing competitions like Badminton and Burghley is different to that of the top FEI showjumping or dressage events. Eventing has the lowest standard because it has effectively been a giant club. However, that has been less so since prize money was introduced. The Burghley stables did have security and stewards were also patrolling inside. You could probably do something if you really wanted to.

"We're just applying a logic test to prove where it came from. It depends how much any tribunal is prepared to take that into account. He [Paget] had a negative test at Badminton and the Burghley cross-country is the toughest in the world. Why would he risk giving the horse a sedative with that in prospect?"

Ellis hopes the case doesn't affect their funding from High Performance Sports New Zealand. ESNZ is guaranteed $1.8 million a year until the Rio de Janeiro Olympics but that is up for review next month.

"If Jonathan is banned, he will lose his individual performance enhancement grant (PEG) automatically but we still have depth in the programme. I'd be disappointed if our core funding was affected by this."

Second-placed Andrew Nicholson is expected to be awarded the Burghley title if Paget is disqualified.