How scourge of P has harmed racing

[Hunterville 0]

By Mike Dillon

Methamphetamine, also called P in New Zealand, has the ability to seriously undermine horse racing.

Meth could help destroy the horse industry like nothing before it.

It's perfect for jockeys - it creates massive doses of energy, suppresses appetite and can eliminate itself from a detection zone in as little as 22 hours, compared with a minimum of 20 days for cannabis.

New Zealand's rules for meth positives are tough, but officials could get even tougher. So could the courts.

Wellington Cup-winning jockey Leanne Isherwood faced the criminal courts after an Armed Offenders raid on a P lab she and her boyfriend operated on the Kapiti Coast in June 2006.

Despite police uncovering 2.7g of meth in point bags in a car, $6900 in cash, electronic scales and a glass pipe, Isherwood was sentenced to just 12 months' home detention.

While police were interviewing Isherwood, they intercepted a cellphone text message: "... to have the same as the other day please."

Compare that with two jockeys from Kentucky, Bryan Beccia and Greta Kuntzweiler.

Beccia, trackwork rider for 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarches, copped 25 years in prison after being found guilty of possession, trafficking and manufacturing of methamphetamine.

Kuntzweiler received 10 years in prison. Kuntzweiler rode 425 winners and was only the second woman to ride in the Kentucky Oaks.

Racing at least is taking a firm stance against Isherwood, who recently applied for a licence to begin riding trackwork again.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing refused that request in the past day or so.

Meth killed genius American jockey Chris Antley, who once won nine races in a day. In 1999, he won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes on Charismatic, who broke a leg when attempting to complete the very elusive Triple Crown.

Methamphetamine cannot make a jockey ride better, but critics say its ability to sustain riders through longer periods creates an unfair advantage.

Chris Antley once rode an incredible 64 consecutive racedays and you have to believe meth helped him achieve that remarkable feat.

Methamphetamine doesn't just halt riding careers, it ends them.

It ends them through mental damage. Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Tony Allan was one of the victims.

Allan's physical and mental problems prematurely halted his riding career on a tragic 999 winners and he went to Japan to ride trackwork.

But no story will compare to what meth has done to Lisa Cropp.

The once darling of not only New Zealand racing, but Japanese and Sydney horse circles, slid all the way from fame to degradation.

You can read all about that in Riding With The Devil, Me and 'P', the Lisa Cropp Story.

There will possibly never be a better example of the ravages caused by meth because we knew what Lisa Cropp was like and how talented she was before meth.

When we see meth addicts in the media now we have no idea what they were like previously and therefore the extent of the damage.

Horse racing cannot be too tough on the hideous substance.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/racing/news/article.cfm?c_id=53&objectid=10615991

Thoughts?

[beef 74]

Could someone reply with the number of times raceday drug testing of jockeys has taken place this calendar year?

[Jamie Hand 0]

20 days for cannabis to leave the system!! what doc has Dillo' been seeing?? try 2 days.

[Bradez 5]

haha! bulls**t Jamie.

unless you just smell the stuff or have half a puff its in about system 3 weeks minimum. Of corse there are masking agents people will know about, that can make it appear as if its its out of your system.

Its the same as drink driving, theres plenty of things you can have that will pass a breath test.

------

http://tinyurl.com/yj8wdlk

if you smoke a small ammount of cannabis it can stay in your blood stream for about 5 days (a very small ammount) if you smoke a large ammount of cannabis it can stay in your blood stream for anything up to a month if you smoke cannabis regulary it can stay in your blood stream for anything up to 80 days after you stop smoking it.

[Sighted 24]

haha! bulls**t Jamie.

unless you just smell the stuff or have half a puff its in about system 3 weeks minimum. Of corse there are masking agents people will know about, that can make it appear as if its its out of your system.

Its the same as drink driving, theres plenty of things you can have that will pass a breath test.

------

http://tinyurl.com/yj8wdlk

if you smoke a small ammount of cannabis it can stay in your blood stream for about 5 days (a very small ammount) if you smoke a large ammount of cannabis it can stay in your blood stream for anything up to a month if you smoke cannabis regulary it can stay in your blood stream for anything up to 80 days after you stop smoking it.

You are absolutely right. A member of my family has just been through this and had to prove that he had none left in his blood stream - that took three weeks; and yes, he was tested in the interim and still had it in his blood stream after 2 weeks.

[grossly misinformed 0]

A friend of mine was prewarned that he would be tested for marijuana while he was working in a sawmill. He went cold turkey for over a month and still failed!!

[Rockhead 0]

Could someone reply with the number of times raceday drug testing of jockeys has taken place this calendar year?

The stewarts report show the horses that were tested but not jockeys (or anybody else). Should the identities of those tested also be revealed? If so, it may help give stakeholders some confidence of the drug-testing regime.

[beef 74]

Why I asked about the number of tests is that I believe only 2 race day drug tests have taken place. If correct all concerned should be sacked.

[Block 0]

Do they test trainers? Its apparently the drug of choice in matamata.

[scooby3051 10,865]

If this is the case and trainers jockeys or anyone connected with a stable in Matamata or anyone else is using it , they should be outed and thrown out, it is a disgusting drug and the people making it, selling it, using it need to be brought out into the open so people can see whats really going on.There was supposedly a big raid in Matamata a few months back, police involved, seems to have all been swept under that ever increasing carpet.

[berleybag 0]

reactions with some being let off scott free. and others made an example of.

if the d."s done their job there would be very few jockeys riding, and a good few trainers having a long holiday.

racing cant afford a big crackdown....its that simple.

[hedley 1,900]

..as far as testing goes, . .we could begin with testing horses.

..there's been so Little of it done...for so Long now, that some stables with the suitable individual..will've been presenting illegally enhanced horses variously., helped to be encouraged to...seeing it as a 'subsidy' to bereft stake-monies..that the sucker public can bloody well pay for.

When can we have some testing please., . .you're all blushworthy currently!, . .lacking Any integrity because of it.

...are you 'tracking / keeping' an eye on the use of cellphones Too...and case specifically to 'enhanced-on-the-Day' or 'pre-race' enhanced runners that can then be Quickly 'thumped., in a punt on multi agencies for example., or 'thumped on BETfare to lose coz it's been nobbled to go 'slow' enough et al.

..i'd say that 'merry-hell' is being played'n'strummed up...but it's o.K., coz the public owe us our comfort and levity., so the pools are where we play., and it Ain't paddlin'pools Either:y::cool:

[scooby3051 10,865]

reactions with some being let off scott free. and others made an example of.

if the d."s done their job there would be very few jockeys riding, and a good few trainers having a long holiday.

racing cant afford a big crackdown....its that simple.

So if what you say is true, is it then right to bury our heads in the sand and do nothing. You are on the wrong track, if it is a big problem ,like you seem to think, then the people involved need to be thrown out, no matter who or how many, racing is bigger than anyone person involved in it and will bounce back, if what you say is anywhere near true.

If it is being covered up, which it sounds like it is, then it is not good for racing at all.

[Hunterville 0]

I agree Leigh, although it will spell disaster for racings already tarnished image it is not fair for honest and rule abiding participants and fans for cheats to avoid punishment, or this mickey mouse affair we have in NZ racing where some things get swept under the carpet while others get hung out to dry. It has gone on for far too long and the sooner we get change the better.

[grassroots 1]

I agree with the point berleybag is trying to get across. But punishment in some form must be handed down to all concerned, in a consistent manner.

The industry has a limited capacity to work within in solving this problem whether you believe it or not. They have to be very conscious about the consequences that may implicate the industry as a whole from any punishment handed down.

If the number of drugs users are as high as the grape vine suggests, and then we oust them all, who then will ride trackwork? Who will take their horses to the races? Who will muck out, who will feed the horses? How will racing clubs get full cards? How will the industry turn over enough profit to be in a position to adequately handle such problems? You may make the presumption that their will be enough players left, but this is a dangerously provocative statement.

Unfortunately it all seems very straight forward but it is not. It must be dealt with diplomatically, so those who need to be are justifiably punished, whilst those playing fair are not negatively affected by this punishment, which may happen if we oust everyone.

Personally, drugs are for the weak, lazy and stupid.

[Rockhead 0]

I agree with the point berleybag is trying to get across. But punishment in some form must be handed down to all concerned, in a consistent manner.

The industry has a limited capacity to work within in solving this problem whether you believe it or not. They have to be very conscious about the consequences that may implicate the industry as a whole from any punishment handed down.

If the number of drugs users are as high as the grape vine suggests, and then we oust them all, who then will ride trackwork? Who will take their horses to the races? Who will muck out, who will feed the horses? How will racing clubs get full cards? How will the industry turn over enough profit to be in a position to adequately handle such problems? You may make the presumption that their will be enough players left, but this is a dangerously provocative statement.

Unfortunately it all seems very straight forward but it is not. It must be dealt with diplomatically, so those who need to be are justifiably punished, whilst those playing fair are not negatively affected by this punishment, which may happen if we oust everyone.

Personally, drugs are for the weak, lazy and stupid.

It needs to be remembered that the grapevine is not evidence. It seems that persons saying there is a widespread problem in racing with drugs, are basing their claims on the grapevine. The grapevine is often wrong (but, I will say, it can be good at bringing out ugly truths).

Things may have changed. But in my time in the stables (1970-80s), there was access to drugs. But most people I knew were very wary about touching anything other than alcohol and, in a few cases, dope. People worked long hours and hard and did not want to have their reputations sullied through been known as drug users - not overlooking the fact that most did not believe in their use for any reason.

[meomy 971]

Ten years on & there scourge still wrecks havoc in all of our lives.

Interesting that Clint RICKARDS was Area Commander in Auckland in January 2004.

That tish was spread via various person's associated with Peninsula Motel, Avondale alongside Avondale Racecourse.

In the late 1990's to early 2000's it was mismanaged by Ian WHITE, everywhere he went to work went under financially.

 

WHITE went to Edmund Rice School in Rotorua as did RICKARDS, a year apart from each other.

RICKARDS used to be an undercover officer.

When WHITE was found dead in Rotorua 3 years ago there were links to associates of his involved in Methamphetamine which came as no surprises to some of us.

WHITE was known to spike drinks.

Those of you who know who WHITE was very closely associated with, including a well known female confidence trickster within the Horse Racing industry who he was regularly with should be speaking to Police.

 

Horse Racing has been screwed over as a direct result of such people and it's got to stop.

The woman concerned belongs behind bars.

[meomy 971]

Note timelines of those within Horse Racing industry in the areas WHITE & his associates have been & where Methamphetamine /P other crimes have taken place.

He was in Waikato when one of the Davidson sisters had crap in her system.

He gloated to us at the time of his knowledge of it.

We also witnessed female jockeys after Avondale Races been targeted with endless "free drinks" by him.

If any of you out there ever drank there and know anything about who else was involved please do everyone else in the wider community a huge favour & report what you know to Police.

That era was the start of Methamphetamine in NZ.

Some in West Auckland have much to answer for the decline of Horse Racing in NZ