THE Turf Club’s new Anti-Doping Unit will be headed by Dr Lynn Hillyer who will take up the position on September 1st. Dr Hillyer also succeeds Terry Smith as chief veterinary officer.

Dr Hillyer has worked in British racing since 2004, first with the Jockey Club and more recently with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

She is currently veterinary adviser to the BHA with a focus on anti-doping and medication control.

She has also been the lead on a wide range of veterinary and equine welfare issues as well as being involved in policy development on endemic and exotic infectious diseases.

Dr Hillyer has strong international connections in Europe and beyond. She has led the European regulatory veterinary group of the European Horserace Scientific Liaison Committee for the last six years and remains European representative on the Executive for the International Group of Specialist Racing Veterinarians.

Turf Club chief executive Denis Egan said: “Lynn is highly respected and will be a great asset to Irish racing in its ongoing fight against the use of illegal substances in the sport.”

THRILLED

Dr Hillyer said “‘I am thrilled to be making this move to join the team at the Turf Club. Racehorse welfare and the integrity of the sport have been my watchwords for a decade with the BHA. I am looking forward to building on the foundations laid by the Task Force, in particular the Industry’s Consensus statement, by leading delivery of the Anti-Doping and Veterinary functions to help protect Irish racehorses.”

The establishment of a dedicated Anti-Doping Unit, headed up by an Anti-Doping and Equine Welfare Officer was one of the Turf Club proposals to the Anti-Doping Task Force which it accepted in its report.

The functions of the Head of Anti-Doping will include oversight of the Equine Forensic Unit; monitoring of developments in testing technology; development and implementation of a strategy for increased out-of-competition testing; and communication with stakeholders in the racing and breeding industry.