Gordon Elliott will face an independent disciplinary hearing on Wednesday after Zanahiyr tested positive for a banned substance following his third-placed finish in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last year.
Elliott’s runner, owned by the Bective Stud, tested positive post-race for 3-hydroxylidocaine after the premier hurdling race of the season and if found guilty could face disqualification by the independent panel at the British Horseracing Authority.
Ridden by Jack Kennedy, the pair were beaten four and a lengths by Honeysuckle, with Epatante in second. In fourth place and set to benefit from any disqualification was the Willie Mullins-trained Saint Roi, like Epatante owned by JP McManus.
The substance in question, which is a metabolite of Lidocaine, is often used in racing stables as a local anaesthetic.
Number One question will be key for Limerick as they reach a crossroads
NHL Division 1A and 1B: County-by-county guide to how the hurling league will play out
NFL Division One: Tyrone could shine as elite counties get to grips with new rules
Ken Early: Denis Law one of the very best in the days when players were the only ones who mattered
In 2016, Derby-winning trainer Dermot Weld was fined by the Irish Turf Club after one of his horses failed a test for the same substance. – Guardian
