Nicky Henderson - Controversy

Controversy

In June 2009, Henderson was found guilty by a British Horseracing Authority panel of breaching the rules of racing, after Moonlit Path, a mare he trains for the Queen, failed a drugs test. Henderson admitted to three of the four charges he faced in relation to the case, in which a prohibited anti-bleeding drug was found in the horse's bloodstream. Henderson accepted that the drug should not have been administered, but argued that it had been done so for the horse's welfare, and that he had not been attempting to enhance performance.

A further hearing was held in July 2009 to determine the sanction to be applied, and Henderson was fined £40,000 (a record penalty for the sport in the UK) and banned from running horses for three months (11 July to 10 October 2009). However, as Henderson is primarily a jumps trainer and this ban was during the flat season it caused him little inconvenience. He was allowed to continue training during the "ban" (which could more accurately be described as a suspension rather than a ban) but was not allowed to enter horses for the period of his ban. The majority of his flat horses were sent to his friend and fellow Lambourn trainer Barry Hills, highest profile of these horses being Caracciola. He caused a little controversy when he attended Royal Ascot when the horse ran but was not breaking any rules as he had not been "warned off" and he was a guest of Barry Hills.