The father-son trainer duo of John and Thady Gosden have been fined £3,000 after two of their horses tested positive for the banned substance ketamine last summer.
The breaches were found to be the result of cross-contamination from a female staff member who was a recreational user of the drug. In a statement, the Gosdens said they "remain committed to the highest standards of care and integrity in their operations and are taking every possible step to avoid any recurrence".
The BHA conducted out-of-competition testing at Clarehaven in July and August last year after Zilfee, a half sister to Enable, and Morrophore produced positive post-race samples for ketamine.
A hair sample from Zilfee showed "likely multiple low-level exposures to ketamine over many months", while hair and urine samples from Morrophore "demonstrated prolonged exposure to ketamine."
Hair samples from four further horses tested in a subsequent BHA inspection of the premises all tested positive for ketamine.
A female staff member admitted to taking ketamine three times a week when not working. She looked after Morrophore, while her kitbag was used on the day Zilfee tested positive. She denied direct administration, but believed cross-contamination was possible as she was "not always washing her hands before coming to work".
The disciplinary panel found the Gosdens had no knowledge of ketamine being administered, while the staff member voluntarily left the yard last August.
This is the second time horses under the care of John Gosden have tested positive for ketamine. In 2020, the trainer was fined £500 following a post-race positive sample a year earlier, which was found to be the result of cross-contamination from her groom on the day of the race.
Since 2020, the Gosdens said enhanced measures had been put in place to prevent cross-contamination, while random drug and alcohol testing was also conducted on a monthly basis.
A statement from the Gosdens' solicitor Dutton Gregory said: "The horses tested positive for a minute trace amount of ketamine, but it is important that the context of this matter is properly understood. The source of the contamination was a former member of stable staff who had been using ketamine recreationally.
"It's important to understand that the stables do not hold or administer ketamine on-site. Ketamine is a sedative, not a performance-enhancing drug. It's used by veterinary surgeons as an anaesthetic, but is also ubiquitous among recreational drug users.
"Prior to this incident, Clarehaven Stables already maintained strict protocols around contamination and welfare. These have since been reviewed and strengthened further. While no system can guarantee complete prevention in every circumstance, Mr. John Gosden and Mr. Thady Gosden remain committed to the highest standards of care and integrity in their operations and are taking every possible step to avoid any recurrence."
