Classic-winning Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni is to face a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel hearing after samples taken from 11 horses in his care in Newmarket were found to contain traces of anabolic steroids.

London 2012 has been hailed as “the best ever” Olympics for equestrian sport.

Leading jumps trainer Nicky Henderson has been charged by the British Horseracing Authority in connection with a positive sample from Moonlit Path following a race at Huntingdon in February.

THE Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) yesterday said it had launched an internal review of its drug testing procedures following questions posed last week by the Irish Examiner regarding the “loss of blood samples” from a horse.

The door of the office of the Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI) in Kildare was forced and a cabinet rifled through during a break-in overnight.