English Derby runner-up Lyreen Mover tests positive for prohibited substance
It’s been just under a month since greyhound racing enthusiasts witnessed the exhilarating final of the English Greyhound Derby.
Charlie Lister’s Bandicoot Tipoki was glorious on the occasion but news broke yesterday that runner-up Lyreen Mover, who lost by half-a-length, tested positive for a prohibited substance.
The racing manager at Wimbledon Gary Matthews said in the Racing Post "I've been informed by the GBGB [Greyhound Board of Great Britain] that Lyreen Mover returned a positive on May 29. A local inquiry will be held in the near future."
It is understood that no action will be taken until the local inquiry is completed. The Hungarian-trained greyhound is expected to trial at Sunderland next Monday for the William Hill Classic and will remain eligible to participate in the competition.
In 2003 it took the National Greyhound Racing Club five months to disqualify original winner of the English Greyhound Derby, Droopys Hewitt, for breaching the rules after testing positive for felbinac, an anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug.
As a result Grantham businessman Mark Bates’ dog Farloe Verdict was declared the winner and awarded the £75,000 winners prize.
So presumably if the decision is taken to disqualify Lyreen Mover, then his records will be wiped and Irish-trained Krug Ninety Five who finished in third will be awarded the runners-up prize.
Movers owner, Max Picinelli, also spoke of the revelation "It's absolutely ridiculous, the dog was sampled in his trials, and then after the five rounds leading up to the final. Why would he suddenly produce a positive then?"
He added: "It's been the worst afternoon of my life, having learnt about the inquiry, if he has tested positive for something that has got into him via the food chain we need to know as quickly as possible."
Rules are rules and are laid out for everyone and no doubt the GBGB will take the correct measures to protect the sports integrity once the inquiry is over.
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