Jockey Club: We were left wanting

The Jockey Club today admitted it had something to learn in "news management" following this week's high-profile dawn raids of five National Hunt yards in spotcheck tests for performance-enhancing drugs.

But racing's regulators insisted that the operation itself was "a huge success".

Blood from 408 horses resident in the yards of Martin Pipe, Paul Nicholls, Venetia Williams, Len Lungo and Alan Jones was taken in unannounced swoops by Jockey Club vets two days ago. Yesterday, it was announced that all samples had proved clear of the much-rumoured drug, EPO (erythropoietin).

Pipe and Nicholls, first and second in the trainers' championship, expressed anger at the manner in which the tests were conducted and suggested the press coverage it invited had damaged the sport. Pipe even claimed he was being victimised by an EPO whispering campaign within racing.

John Maxse, the Jockey Club's public relations director, expressed regret over the reactions of Pipe and Nicholls, stressing that he "genuinely believes the tests will have given a very positive message about British racing to the general public".

"We have been carrying out drug-testing in training yards since 1998, admittedly with prior notification and not on such a scale. You would think, given the numbers of staff involved, something would have ended up about them in the press before - but there's never been a whisper before," Maxse said.

"Although we were prepared for this to get out, the speed surprised me. Given how quickly we processed the sample, it was not unreasonable to think we might have had the results before the testing was public knowledge.

"We chose to keep the fact we were testing specifically for EPO close to our chests, but that did relate to why certain trainers were chosen because, if you're testing for a performance-enhancing drug, it's logical to go to the most successful yards.

"While the results were awaited, I can understand criticism of our explanation as to why those yards were chosen. It is OK to say it was random or the result of intelligence received unless the identity of the yards is known, as it was on this occasion."

Maxse reiterated that the Jockey Club sincerely thanked the five trainers involved for their co-operation. He said there was "no specific need" to rebuild lines of communication with Pipe.

"The shadow of drugs hangs over other sports," he added. "Racing can now rebuff such accusations completely."

Punters should know Tiutchev is "unlikely" to contest the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday week, says trainer Nicky Henderson. But the yard has not yet completely given up hope. The 2000 Arkle Chase hero was third favourite for the two-mile championship, but 12 days ago succumbed to his second bout of colic within a year. Liverpool's Martell Melling Chase on 5 April, the second day of the Grand National meeting, is a "more realistic" target.

But, while claiming that the Jockey Club's relationship with Pipe in particular is "actually not a bad one ", he acknowledged there was "always something to learn".