Pipe inquiry set for tomorrow

Britain's Jockey Club officials have scheduled an 11am inquiry tomorrow for Martin Pipe over his refusal to allow a horse to be dope-tested at Haydock last week.

Explaining his decision, Pipe cited fears over the risk of the horse, Tanterani, picking up an infection in the sampling unit.

Pipe has been asked to attend the Jockey Club’s Shaftesbury Avenue headquarters, having already been warned that failure to allow tests to be carried out in the unit would trigger the disciplinary process.

The champion trainer has still not confirmed whether he will attend the hearing but John Maxse, public relations director for the Jockey Club, said: “At this stage we have no reason to believe tomorrow’s hearing will not go ahead.”

If Pipe is found guilty of deliberately refusing to follow the rules over dope-testing procedures, he faces a fine of upwards of £2,500 (€3,638).