The latest drug in our sport now detectable - ITPP and AICAR

| Thu 28 June, 2012

Do a a quick search on the internet and you'll find pages of information on doping in sport and racing. Some sites quote hundreds of derivatives of EPO, almost all undetectable.

It seems that in humans, cycling is at the forefront of the devleopment and useage of these new drugs and with the equine athlete, harness racing seems to lead the way.

ITPP (myo-inositol trispyrophosphate) is a drug that was developed in France in 2005 for the benefit of human heart patients. Tests done on mice  with damaged hearts showed that their exercise rate increased by up to 35% when they took the drug dissolved in water and up to 60% when injected into the abdomen.

The drug is thought to have been widely used in American Harness Racing.

Late last year, The Pennsylvania Harness Horseman Association made a generous donation to the University of Pennsylvania to begin work to find a method of detection for ITPP which indicates the early warning signs were coming from within the harness racing ranks.

Last month, Harness Racing NSW disqualified Cantebury trainer Tim Butt after freezing samples and sending them to Hong Kong, with confirmation tests in Perth - the only two jurisdictions that were testing for the excess in arsenic that were detected in his pacer's swabs. HR NSW has doubled its integrity budget, after the corruption scandal involving stewards in that state. This allowed for more money for swabs to be frozen and sent interstate and overseas for testing.

Arsenic is thought to be a component of ITPP, with Butt's legal representation arguing the contrary.

The NZ Racing Board has also just approved an increase in funding to send samples overseas for testing. That included just last month, sending off a batch of hand picked samples out of frozen storage after studying betting patterns, form reversals, trainers stike rates and word of mouth anecdotal evidence.

No longer are jurisdictions limited to the testing procedures available in their own back yards.

Recently, a group of scientists from the Racing Laboratory at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, developed a method of detecting ITPP in equine urine and plasma. Their conclusion reads that the tests can unequivocably detect ITPP and the method showed fast turnaround, adequate sensitivity and good precision and recovery.

Unfortunately, the news for drug cheats is all bad. Authorities have taken a stand in most jurisdictions to increase funding for drug detection and drug testing. Other jurisdictions have introduced hand testing units, which will counter the ability of drug cheats to get away with their trade at outer country tracks.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has been instrumental in bringing about the latest testing and is the only jurisdiction in the world that tests all its horses, a place no doubt the remaining racing authorities around the world would like to be. Lack of funding, unfortunately is the problem.

sources: www.harnesslink.com, thehorse.com, Research post by SY Wong, NM Ho and SM Wan, Hong Kong Jockey Club.