RACING:THE TURF Club authorities have stressed their commitment to maintaining drug testing levels in Irish racing despite recent cutbacks in funding.

That news came after yesterday’s statistical report for 2010 by racing’s regulatory body which revealed two positive tests in horses from 2,860 samples taken during the year. One of those positive tests came in a point-to-point, while the other case has yet to be heard at Turf Club HQ but is believed to be relatively routine.

“It is something we are very sensitive about and there are no plans to reduce the numbers of dope tests,” Turf Club chief executive Denis Egan said yesterday.

However, there were four positive tests taken from jockeys in 2010, three of them in relation to diuretics, and one positive test for cannabis in an apprentice who cannot be named as he is a minor.

There was one positive breath test for alcohol when jockey Mick Darcy received a 12-race-day ban at Limerick in May.

Egan was “disappointed at the increase in the number of positive drug tests on riders and the one positive breath test”. But he was happy with the reduction in positives in horses and attributed much of that to the publication of medical guidelines in 2009.

Egan added that while there was a 2 per cent decrease in the total number of trainers licenses issued last year, the number of dual licenses fell by 10 per cent, which indicates a more focused approach by trainers. He also said a 7.5 per cent fall in restricted trainers licenses was worrying.

Drug Testing of Riders

2010 Samples: 154No of race meetings covered: 19 No of positives: 4

2009 Samples: 80No of race meetings covered: 10 No of positives: 2

2008 Samples: 88No of race meetings covered: 11 No of positives: 0

2007 Samples: 62No of race meetings covered: 8 No of positives: 0

Alcohol Tests of Riders

2010 No of tests: 1,431Race meetings covered: 27 No of positives: 1

2009 No of tests: 932Race meetings covered: 18 No of positives: 1

2008 No of tests: 670Race meetings covered: 13 No of positives: 0

2007 No of tests: 515Race meetings covered: 10 No of positives: 1

Drug Testing of Horses

2010 Racecourse samples: 2,467 Point-to-point samples: 336

In Training samples: 57 Total: 2,860 No of positives: 2

2009 Racecourse: 2,530 Points: 307 In Training: 21 Total: 2,858 Positives: 8

2008 Racecourse: 2,543 Points: 337 In Training: 36 Total: 2,916 Positives: 12

2007 Racecourse: 2,483 Points: 14In Training: 48 Total: 2,845 Positives: 6