Trainer whose greyhound failed drug test 'no case to answer'

It emerged in September 2017 that urine samples taken from Clonbrien Hero at Curraheen Park greyhound stadium in Cork tested positive for benzoylecgonine on June 24, July 1, and July 22 in 2017

The trainer of a champion greyhound which tested positive for traces of a cocaine metabolite has “no case to answer”, a new report has found.

The greyhound industry’s Control Committee finding in relation to Clonbrien Hero trainer, Graham Holland, follows a lengthy disciplinary hearing process which was triggered after the dog failed three drug tests over a few weeks in the summer of 2017.

It has emerged that an uncontested expert report found that the concentration of benzoylecgonine in the samples was so low that they were “pharmacologically and forensically insignificant and completely consistent with innocent and unavoidable environmental origins”.

It emerged in September 2017 that urine samples taken from Clonbrien Hero at Curraheen Park greyhound stadium in Cork tested positive for benzoylecgonine on June 24, July 1, and July 22 of that year. The July 22 test took place after the dog won the Laurels.

The “adverse analytical findings” were referred to the Control Committee, the dog was disqualified from racing and €30,000 in prize money was withheld pending the disciplinary hearing process.

The Irish Greyhound Board stressed that no assumptions should be made until that process had concluded.

A sample taken from the dog a few months later tested negative, it resumed racing and won the 2017 Irish St Leger in November 4.

Mr Holland secured a temporary High Court order before Christmas 2017 preventing the disciplinary hearing from proceeding but in September 2018, the High Court dismissed the action, with Ms Justice Tara Burns saying the legal challenge was “premature” and that Mr Holland’s rights to fair procedures and natural justice had not been breached.

The Control Committee process resumed and its February report says the committee considered a report by expert Professor Thomas Tobin which found the levels of benzoylecgonine in the dog's samples were so low they were consistent with innocent and unavoidable environmental origins.

The Control Committee accepted that “environmental contamination” could not be argued against.

“In this regard, Prof Tobin’s report was uncontested and in the circumstances, the control committee decided Mr Holland had no case to answer in respect of these adverse analytical findings.”

Mr Holland’s solicitor, Cathal Gibbons, was not available for comment.