The Boldenone case finally came to a conclusion. The jury comprising five stewards, headed by RWITC Chairman Mr Vivek Jain delivered the judgment on Tuesday (30th August, 2011) at the Club’s premises. Trainers Cooji Katrak, Sheraz Sunderji and Pesi Shroff were penalised on the grounds of “Vicarious Liability” and handed sentences taking into account their past records.

It may be recalled that three top horses, Ocean And Beyond (Sunderji), Star Future (Katrak) and Eloise (Shroff) had tested positive for the banned substance Boldenone in December last year, following which they were disqualified from the Indian Classic races they had raced in. Another Katrak trainee - Amaretto too had tested positive after the Gool S Poonawalla Million in January this year. The detailed inquiry with all its investigations and double checks finally came to an end with the pronouncement of the judgment.

The final request by the trainers last week to send the samples for another test to a lab in US had been turned down by the Stewards. After hearing the final submissions made by Katrak, the stewards ruled on the three trainers.

The Stewards considered the last 5 years as a cut off period while considering past infringements.

Shroff has been given a suspension of 30 days and a fine of Rs 10,000.

Sunderji, 45 days, being his second offence and fine of Rs 10,000.

Katrak has been given 30 days for Star Future and an additional 15 days for past infringements and a fine of Rs 10,000. For Amaretto, Katrak was given 45 days and an additional 30 days for past infringements and a fine of Rs 10,000 adding up to a cumulative 120 days and Rs 20,000.

Mr Vivek Jain said, “We have adhered to the rule book and past precedents. There was no clear evidence to question the trainers’ intent of administrating the banned substance, but there is a clause of ‘vicarious liability’ under which the sentences have been handed out. We went by the medication rules laid down by the Club and have followed the precedent set by some of our past Chairmen and the Stewards’ bodies. We will come out with a report on the matter shortly to explain in detail on how we arrived at the final conclusion, for our Club members.”

For trainer Pesi Shroff, since it was a first offence, the quantum was kept to the minimum. However, trainers Sunderji and Katrak were handed longer suspensions for having a record of past violations.

The trainers had maintained that the feed procured from the Club had been contaminated with the drug in question. They had also submitted the lab reports of two labs that they had sent the samples for a confirmatory test. However, the Stewards were not impressed and countered saying that the same feed was given to a larger number of horses and that they had all come clean. Hence, this defence held no water with the Club.

The sentences are to run with effect from the 5th of September 2011, unless the trainers opt to take recourse and go for an appeal.