THE British Horseracing Authority [BHA] will continue to make surprise visits to Irish training yards in advance of major festivals, taking samples from racehorses who are entered for big British races.

The BHA began its policy of overseas testing three years ago but it went under the radar of most in racing until last week when the BHA issued a short statement following a raft of Irish-trained winners at Cheltenham.

“The BHA tested horses travelling from France and Ireland to run at Cheltenham at their yards,” the authority posted on social media.

Asked for more details, the BHA’s spokesman Robin Mounsey said: “There was some concern after this was first reported that it signalled some sort of lack of faith in the Irish anti-doping system. That just isn’t the case. It is actually entirely based on our own anti-doping strategy, which has moved more and more over the past few years to focusing on major festivals.

“That includes both out of competition testing towards those festivals and testing a spread of competitors at the event itself. Given that half the population of horses roughly running at Cheltenham are Irish, our strategy had to include some Irish runners, but it also included French runners too, for example.”

The BHA has had the provision to test overseas horses since the introduction of the new equine anti-doping rules in March 2015. “The testing of overseas horses is part of our overall equine anti-doping strategy, and considered as part of our overall test distribution planning to prevent, deter and detect doping in British racing,” said Mounsey.

He confirmed that the visits are unannounced and involve taking blood and urine samples for testing at UK laboratories. None of the Irish tests returned positive results for prohibited substances.

Mounsey added: “Trainers are usually advised by email when we are in receipt of negative results, any adverse analytical findings would trigger the usual investigative process.”

The BHA is not obliged to involve the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (Turf Club racing officials) in these visits “but we would liaise with them with regards our intensions to conduct out of competition testing of horses within their jurisdiction.”

Denis Egan, IHRB chief executive, said: “We were fully aware of the testing. The BHA liaised with us in advance. We helped with the organisation of the logistics and we accompanied the BHA during the testing.”

Egan said that while there isn’t a reciprocal arrangement in place the IHRB has the authority to take samples from a horse entered for a race in Ireland, wherever the horse is stabled. He could not say for certain if that power has ever been invoked.

Trainer Willie Mullins confirmed that he was visited by BHA inspectors before Cheltenham. “It wasn’t the first time and I have no problem with it. We have to send samples before we travel to some other jurisdictions and we are tested when we get there. That’s international sport and racing’s rules should be as stringent as in any other sport.”

Gordon Elliott is thought to have also received a visit. He commented: “I’ve no problem with people coming in to test horses. It has to be a level playing field for everyone.”

Irish racing’s Anti Doping Task Force is still working on a formula to introduce out of training testing for thoroughbreds here. Currently racing officials only have the authority to inspect licensed premises and not stud farms or pre-training yards. The task force meets again on April 4th.