Rumours in equestrian circles that the B sample from Cian O'Connor's Olympic gold medal horse Waterford Crystal had been "lost" have been quashed by the Equestrian Federation of Ireland (EFI).
The rumours came after a batch of samples, including the one from Waterford Crystal, was sent on to the Hong Kong Jockey Club laboratory for confirmatory analysis by the Horseracing Forensic Laboratory (HFL) in Newmarket.
"According to the FEI [ the international governing body], the samples are in transit between Newmarket and Hong Kong at this moment", EFI secretary general Mr Dan Butler said yesterday. "We are waiting for confirmation of their arrival in Hong Kong from the FEI."
EFI president Ms Avril Doyle received the information directly from Dr Bo Helander, FEI secretary general and head of the federation's legal department. Dr Helander, who has been at meetings in Moscow all week, was unavailable for comment when contacted by The Irish Times yesterday.
Cian O'Connor's solicitor Andrew Coonan of Coonan Cawley Solicitors in Naas, Co Kildare, was able to confirm the news, however. "My understanding is that the B sample is to be tested in Hong Kong, due to it not being possible to have it carried out in HFL, Newmarket", he said yesterday.
Mr Coonan was informed of the change in a faxed letter from the FEI's legal department late yesterday afternoon. It is believed that neither the HFL nor a second FEI reference lab in the US were able to process the samples within the specified time.
"We haven't been informed of times and dates yet and I have to say that I'm somewhat disappointed with the lack of response from the FEI to certain queries that I've raised. Based on having dealt with these matters in racing I've never encountered this type of difficulty before," he said.