THE decision of a disciplinary committee to impose what amounts to a suspended ban of 18 months on Shark Hanlon after a positive sample taken from Camlann at Galway last month is no doubt covered in full elsewhere in this publication, but the case and one referred to obliquely in the decision, show that the way the IHRB and BHA view similar cases can be very different.

As has been pointed out elsewhere by my colleague Chris Cook of The Guardian, it is unusual to note that despite expert evidence that Camlann had been given a substance containing cobalt within 12 hours of racing at Galway, and the Rules of Racing prohibit the administration of anything other than normal food and water on raceday, he was seemingly (and slightly confusingly) not found in breach of Rule 87, which covers this aspect.