Leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller will face a Racing New South Wales inquiry at 3pm this afternoon after a presence of Frusemide was found in the urine sample taken from Junoob following his win in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick on October 4.
Junoob tested positive to a presence of Frusemide following his brave win in the 2014 The Metropolitan. Photo by: Steve Hart
Racing New South Wales revealed in a statement this morning that two official racing laboratories had confirmed that Junoob had tested positive to Frusemide and that they would hold an inquiry into the findings this afternoon following the conclusion of the Terry Drayton appeal hearing.
Frusemide, commonly referred to as Lasix, is a drug that is typically used to prevent horses from bleeding through the nose during races and is commonly used in racing in the United States, but is banned in Australian racing.
Junoob started his 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with flat performances in the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 23 and the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at the same venue on September 6.
The Haafhd gelding returned to winning form with an impressive performance in the Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on September 20 and he produced a very brave staying effort to hold off the fast-finishing Opinion and Araldo in the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at the same venue a fortnight later.
Junoob was well-backed in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18, but could finish no better than seventh behind Japanese stayer Admire Rakti and he failed to run out the trip strongly when he finished 18th, more than 29 lengths behind Protectionist, in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4.
Racing New South Wales revealed in the same statement that veteran trainer Clarry Connors would face an inquiry next Monday after the presence of a metabolite of lignocaine was found in an urine sample taken from the highly-touted This Is Australia following his debut win in the Mossman At Vinery Handicap (1100m) at Canterbury on September.
John Singleton-owned This Is Australia subsequently went on to finish at the tail of the field in the Listed Heritage Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick on September 20 and he was sent to the spelling paddock after he failed to beat home a single rival in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) at the same venue on October 18.
