A horse who finished third at the Cheltenham Festival has been disqualified over a banned substance. Sandor Clegane, trained in Ireland by Paul Nolan, was a 28-1 chance for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the 2023 meeting. He produced one of his best performances in the 3m race to finish third, only a length and a quarter behind winner Stay Away Fay. He won at the Punchestown Festival on his next start.
But almost two years after the race he has been thrown out, forfeited more than £14,000 in prize-money and Nolan fined a total of £2,500 following a positive post-race test for a prohibited substance. According to a report by a BHA disciplinary panel a urine sample from the horse was found to contain 5-hydroxydantrolene, which must not be present on raceday.
It was subsequently established that the gelding had been prescribed a course of three tablets of dantrolene in November 2022, which was to be administered three times a day for three months but was not strictly followed. Nolan’s vet had advised that the medication was to be used whenever there was a change in the horse’s routine.
The panel was told eight tablets were given to the horse before he travelled to Cheltenham in the belief there was a 56 hour withdrawal period. Nolan had declared that Sandor Clegane had received a daily dose of omeprazole in February plus vitamins and electroliytes but while indicating he had been given other medication, omitted to disclose what it was.
