THE Anti Doping Task Force could reconvene as early as next month in a bid to relaunch its mission to introduce out of competition testing for racehorses.

Set up two years ago in the wake of some high-profile cases involving anabolic steroids found on racing premises, the industry-wide group issued a set of recommendations in early 2016 but implementing those has not been straight-forward.

Specifically, there has not been agreement between the racing authorities and breeders over the inspection process.

Brian Kavanagh, chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland, said yesterday: “This is a problem in the UK also, namely the authority of the racing regulator over non-licenced individuals. We hope to convene a meeting early in November and we will know more thereafter.”

Kavanagh confirmed that Turf Club senior steward Meta Osborne has recommended she be replaced as chairperson of the ADTF by an independent person.

“There is an impasse over jurisdiction,” Kavanagh explained. “This is a genuine issue and the breeders association and sales companies are as anxious as anyone to get this resolved.” He noted that while France has a good system in place, France Galop maintains the French stud book and so has jurisdiction over breeders, whereas in Ireland breeders are only answerable to the Department of Agriculture inspectors on medicinal issues.

Henry Beeby of Goffs says his company is fully co-operating with the Task Force. “We already have a robust drug-testing policy in place. Every horse we offer can be blood-tested at point of purchase for steroids and anti-inflammatories.

“We have been part of the Task Force and have co-operated at every juncture. But we really need our clients, the breeders, to say they are happy with what is being proposed. We will fall in line with what breeders want.”

Asked what may be causing the hold-up, Beeby said: “I think there has been misunderstanding between what was agreed to by the various stakeholders. The Task Force needs to be reconvened to get clarity.”

This view was confirmed by a prominent breeder who told The Irish Field that proposals issued by the Turf Club differed significantly from what breeders were prepared to sign up to. “The devil is in the detail,” he said.

Shane O’Dwyer of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, said: “We put our position to Brian Kavanagh and there is no better group than the Task Force to progress this and finalise the arrangements. We all want the same result here – there is no room for performance-enhancing drugs in the industry and indeed there is no evidence that they are present in sales horses.”

Tattersalls Ireland director Neil Walsh commented: “Sales companies will welcome anything that gives purchasers confidence. The Task Force recommendations were broadly welcomed by the industry but bringing those actions to fruition requires some fine-tuning. Whatever the industry does, it needs to be unified and the changes have to improve upon the robust system that is already in place.”