Shroff, Katrak get some breathing space - By Shailendra Awasthi TNN
Posted on - 06 Aug 2012
Shroff, Katrak get some breathing space
RWITC Hands Duo Conditional Reprieve
Shailendra Awasthi TNN
Pune: Trying to put an end to the Boldenone controversy, the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) has decided to expunge the punishment handed out to trainers Pesi Shroff and Cooji Katrak from their records. However, that will happen only if any fresh evidence comes up in future from Boehringer (manufacturer of the feed supplement) or any other source, proving that the feed supplements were not contaminated.
“The Board of Appeal had sent Pesi’s and Cooji’s cases back to the stewards saying the Maharashtra FDA’s finding that the feed supplement samples were contaminated and should be considered as fresh evidence by the stewards,” said RWITC chairman Vivek Jain, who chaired the stewards' meeting.
“To bring an end to the controversy we have decided to treat the case of Pesi and Cooji on the similar lines as Sheraz Sunderji,” added Jain.
Interestingly, Shroff had dragged the RWITC to court on the Boldenone case and the matter is still sub judice.
“We have requested Pesi to withdraw the case after we have cleared his records to bring the controversy to an end and he has told us that he will consider,” said Jain.
While Pesi Shroff-trained filly Eloise had tested positive after finishing third in the Indian 1000 Guineas, both Ocean And Beyond (Sunderji) and Star Future's (Katrak) urine samples had tested positive after they had finished first and second, respectively, in the Indian 2000 Guineas.
Both the races were held in December 2010 and ‘Boldenone’ was found in the urine samples of all the three horses. The horses were disqualified after their second samples too returned positive and the trainers were suspended.
While Sunderji had accepted the punishment, both Shroff and Katrak had appealed against the punishment. Later Sunderji’s punishment was expunged from the records
