Egan hails meeting over testing at studs as 'very productive'

Turf Club chief executive Denis Egan has described a meeting on Wednesday with the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Horse Racing Ireland regarding new protocols to allow drug testing on stud farms as “very productive” and is optimistic a solution will be reached within a fortnight.

Egan was one of four representatives from the Turf Club at the meeting, while there were also a quartet in attendance from the ITBA, while two members of HRI were also part of the negotiations.

Last year’s task force report, set up on the back of several controversies involving anabolic steroids in 2014, recommended a protocol be established to allow the regulatory body to test horses out of competition.

“The meeting went very well and it was very productive,” said Egan. “Discussions are continuing in a very progressive manner. All stakeholders are committed to creating the right anti-doping measures.

"All parties have to go back to their respective constituencies. Hopefully we will have a positive outcome within a fortnight.”