Former Curragh trainer fined after Ffos Las winner tests positive for prohibited substance

Former Curragh trainer Joe Conlon has been fined a total of £1,000 after Our Dagger returned a positive sample after his win at Ffos Las last year.

The 24-year-old trainer was handed the punishment at an independent disciplinary hearing on Monday, having accepted breaches of rules governing the use of prohibited substances and maintaining accurate medical records, for which he was fined £750 and £250 respectively.

Our Dagger tested positive for dexamethasone, a prescribed veterinary medicine used commonly as an anti-inflammatory treatment which is banned on raceday only, after winning as the 15-8 favourite at Ffos Las on August 14, 2024. It was Conlon's first and only runner in Britain.

After Our Dagger was disqualified from the mile handicap, the Bernard Llewellyn-trained Zambezi Magic has been promoted to first.

Following a visit to Conlon's yard in County Kildare last year, the BHA and Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board found inaccuracies in the stable's medical records.

Patrick Kennedy, representing Conlon, said his client would get administrative help from his sister Katie Conlon, who owned Our Dagger when the then three-year-old won at Ffos Las, because he was a "one-man band" and his literacy skills "left a lot to be desired".

"There was nothing deliberate to break the rules, it was just set up by a young man who really hadn't understood the implications of the administration side of training racehorses, and of that his failings are obvious," said Kennedy.

"There's a very distinct difference between a deliberate intention and not understanding the appropriate measures to take. Mr Conlon has learned a very hard lesson already, irrespective of the penalties imposed on him."

The three-person panel, chaired by HH James O’Mahony, was asked to take into consideration Conlon's personal circumstances when deciding the level of punishment.

Kennedy said: "For other reasons, Mr Conlon has not renewed his licence and he is unemployed and has recently applied for social welfare. He has other medical and personal issues . . . for which he is taking professional help."

In delivering the penalty, O’Mahony said: "We follow the guidance of the BHA within the low culpability category with some reservation, but noting it was a therapeutic dose too close to the raceday.

"We have considerable sympathy for Mr Conlon about the matters we've been told about. However, he knew of his considerable responsibilities as a trainer and did not get help to make sure his medical records were correct and the period of allowing time for the substance to disappear from the horse's system was observed."

O’Mahony added: "We've taken into account the difficulties, through no fault of his own, Mr Conlon has and his financial circumstance now, and had those matters not applied, the penalties would have been considerably higher because this is a serious matter."

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