‘I don’t leave stones unturned’: IHRB chief vet Lynn Hillyer on anti-doping and welfare in Irish horse racing

Lynn Hillyer spoke to Daragh Ó Conchúir about her remit as Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board chief veterinary officer and head of anti-doping

IHRB chief veterinary officer Lynn Hillyer in the stableyard at Fairyhouse. ‘By definition, good regulation should be independent. I am confident our regulation is independent in that we are able to act to protect the integrity of racing. That is what we do day in, day out.’ Picture: Healy Racing

Comments by legendary trainer Jim Bolger in an interview with this writer in ‘The Irish Field’ last January, that the policing of prohibited substances was ‘not up to scratch’, that racing ‘was not a level playing pitch’, and that ‘certain things are forbidden and they are being used and it needs to be dealt with’, caused many ears to prick up. 

Not long after, trainer Charles Byrnes was suspended for six months for leaving Viking Hoard unattended for a period of time at Tramore Racecourse in 2018, during which time the gelding was likely to have been administered a sedative 200 times over the limit. A week before this suspension was upheld on appeal, Horse Racing Ireland announced its plans for an enhanced testing regime.