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IHRB under major scrutiny - and it's not just Ronan McNally it has to deal with

The IHRB has found itself with questions to answer this month over the Ronan McNally affair, but this isn't the only matter causing me some concern about Irish racing's regulatory body as it heads into 2023 still dealing with several long-standing issues.

Concerns about the efficiency of Ireland's drug testing regime have not been as conspicuous in the news cycle as was the case in 2021. At one level, it is reassuring that nothing substantial has yet emerged from the nebulous accusations raised by trainer Jim Bolger, but one gets an uneasy sense that the IHRB has been happy to see the level of political scrutiny drop in the months since the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee had its latest bite at drug-related issues in June.

Presentations given by Cliodhna Guy, at that stage the IHRB's interim chief executive, and Dr Lynn Hillyer, the IHRB chief veterinary officer and anti-doping expert, cited the welcome reassurance provided by Australian vet Dr Craig Suann, who gave a broad endorsement to the efficacy of IHRB's drug testing procedures following a detailed audit.

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