Burke Considers Future After Raid Tests Return Negative

Trainer Liam Burke has opened up about the trauma he has endured over being caught up in the fallout from the raid on a County Kildare stud farm after the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board revealed Nov. 23 that all racehorses who were tested at the premises on Nov. 9 returned negative for any prohibited substances.

On the day, the IHRB took hair and blood samples from four racehorses that were present at Ballintogher Stud in Monasterevin, from which equine therapist John Warwick was operating.

In a departure from normal procedure, the regulator Tuesday responded to pressure to release the results publicly given the cloud of suspicion that has hung over racing for the past fortnight.

Burke arrived at the farm with two racehorses while Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine officials were carrying out the raid along with gardai, as did Ted Walsh, who later explained he had brought a horse there to have a tendon scanned. Burke revealed that he trained just one of the horses in his box, Samos Island, who was due to run in a bumper that day at Fairyhouse but was withdrawn by IHRB officials.

The trainer, who was angered that he was not allowed to run Samos Island despite explaining to the IHRB's chief veterinary officer Dr. Lynn Hillyer that he was not a client of Warwick's, says he has suffered panic attacks and has struggled to sleep since the controversy erupted.

He added that he is unsure whether he will renew his license in the new year because of the situation.

"By the law of the land you are innocent until proven guilty, but in this instance I was guilty until proven innocent," he said. "What happened and the way it was reported by some was just plain wrong.

"I'm 47 years in the game and have never experienced anything like this. I've been having panic attacks and I haven't been able to sleep over it. I'm afraid to face people and have them slagging me behind my back."

Burke added: "I was at a point-to-point on Sunday and I heard a couple of fellas behind me talking. I didn't know them and they didn't know me, but all they were talking about was the doping going on in racing, that it was terrible. That's the perception that has been portrayed. This thing has been fueled by people who should know better.

"My name was plastered all over the Sunday papers and on television, everywhere, and people just assumed there was no smoke without fire. Owners have questioned me about it and they aren't happy about the whole thing. This is impacting people's lives and businesses, for what? It's not nice. I'm so low over the whole thing, I'm wondering if I'll bother renewing my license at all."

Speaking on Tuesday, Walsh said of the wait for the tests: "I had no worries. It was just one of those things. It was the result that I had 100% expected. I'd love to have a horse who would be as big a certainty to win a race as the result of that was going to be."

Jessica Harrington trained the fourth horse, a filly she stated was there for non-medicated laser treatment on a tendon. She explained she had used Warwick to treat suspensory and tendon issues for a long time, and told the Racing Post she had nothing to hide.

Last week, DAFM and the IHRB arrived unannounced to a number of stables, including Harrington's, following the raid in Monasterevin, and the trainer said she was relaxed about the scrutiny.

"They went through everything and they've tested other horses of mine around some stud farms as well and that's fine. I don't mind," she said of the inspections. "They have to do what they have to do. That's their job."

Animal medicines not licensed for use in Ireland were found in Warwick's possession and were seized by DAFM Nov. 9. He later told the Racing Post that, while accepting he "contravened the rules," there was "no dope" in his possession and that he would "never compromise an owner or trainer" by using banned substances on racehorses.

Tuesday's revelation from the IHRB goes some way to corroborating that particular statement, which may offer some relief to the industry at a time when top trainer Jim Bolger's unspecified allegations about illicit drug use continue to linger.

The IHRB's brief statement read: "The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board can today confirm that the hair and blood samples taken from horses at a premises near Monasterevin, County Kildare, on 9th November 2021 have been analyzed at LGC laboratories and reported negative for prohibited at all times substances.

"As this is part of an ongoing investigation working in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine and other agencies, we cannot make any further comment at this time."