The Boldenone controversy has come to haunt RWITC yet again. After the last episode involving three trainers Pesi Shroff, Cooji Katrak and Shiraz Sunderji whose wards came positive, the Stewards took action on the respective trainers. However, Pesi Shroff went to court contending that his horse Eloise came positive because of feed contamination and that he had evidence to prove the same. After the controversy dragged on for several months and Pesi not getting any relief, RWITC were forced to drop the charge against the trainers because the Maharashtra government agency which tested the samples in a laboratory at Hyderabad found Boldenone contamination.

Interestingly, one did not get a satisfactory answer to the contamination of feed supplied by a German company. No horse has since come positive due to feed contamination though one is not sure whether the club banned the supply of the offending supplement. There was also no satisfactory answer whether Boldenone is available as a solid substance because Boldenone is reportedly liquid at room temperature. It was only Pesi who contested the contamination while the other two trainers made no such claims but benefitted by the finding of the Hyderabad lab.

Hardly two years have lapsed since the controversy rocked RWITC comes another twist to the tale. While Cooji Katrak`s horse Montreal has since tested positive for a bronchodilator, Pesi`s horse, Bullsye, coming from Nanoli Stud Farm has come positive for Boldenone. The horse was sampled on arrival at the RWITC premises. The RWITC is yet to start an enquiry into this matter though stories of conspiracy are flying fast and thick that the horse had been got at by vested interests intending to malign the trainer and the owners of the said horse. The trainer has since lodged a police complaint alleging that ex-employees of Nanoli Stud Farm were responsible for the same. Umed Singh who was earlier warned off from RWTIC premises nearly two decades ago has been alleged to be the man responsible for the same. Umed Singh was working at Nanoli Stud Farm after being treated as a disqualified person by RWITC. Two years ago, several horses coming from Nanoli Stud Farm had tested positive for Boldenone resulting in a police complaint and sacking of four employees by the stud farm including Umed Singh.

The Nanoli Stud Farm has since issued a Press Note expressing their apprehensions and said that the horse coming positive was due to getting at the horse during transit from the stud farm to RWITC premises. (The Press Note however was not sent to us).

Since the allegations are of a very serious nature, it is for the RWITC authorities to request the Police to get to the root of the matter so that such incidents don`t recur. The authorities could possibly get some hint if the urine sample is sent for quantification so that the quantity of the substance found could perhaps give a clue whether the said drug was administered during transit and it metabolized immediately for the traces to be found in urine sample.

Pesi is a champion in every sense. He was a top notch jockey and after he changed his vocation and became a trainer, he has been winning the championship at Mumbai with amazing consistency. He is blessed with good lot of horses and works hard to get the desired result. External meddling to prevent the trainer from achieving targets and tarnishing his image must be dealt with by the authorities who need to order a thorough enquiry. The trainer should also help in providing more clues about the sabotage angle. What is of serious concern is that the Press Note states that rivals in the trade are behind the whole episode which makes it all the more appalling. While on the one hand, the authorities have to deal with the problem, they also have to contain the residual damage to the sport with allegations flying all around giving the impression that the sport is all about manipulations and malpractice.

Jealousy and malice are part and parcel of racing especially at Mumbai where one could hear unflattering comments made by professionals about each other. It is a dog eats dog trait in horse racing. Superficially racing portrays an image of glamour at RWITC but there is also a dark under belly. When the sport has a dark side, nothing is ever as good as it seems.