New South Wales Thoroughbred Racing Board senior veterinarian Dr. Craig Suann has rejected a report in London's Daily Telegraph that Erythropoietin, commonly known as EPO, is widely used in Australian racing."There is no evidence that EPO is widely used in the Australian racing industry although there have been concerns both within and outside the racing industry that EPO may have been administered to racehorses with the intent of enhancing performance," Suann said on Friday. "The test developed by the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory (earlier this year) is a major breakthrough both for the integrity of racing, and for the welfare of the horse. So far, there have been no detections to EPO in the samples collected by the (board)."

Suann was a key member of the development team that achieved a world first in testing racehorses for EPO.

The London newspaper report dealt mainly with EPO controversy within the British racing industry, it referred to the test made by "…a forensic laboratory in Australia , where misuse of EPO within racing is thought to be worst." No source was given for this accusation.

The article also reported that Tom Ahern, "an Australian vet based in the Berkshire training center of Lambourn….is convinced that EPO has been used widely in Australia and that it enhances performance, particularly among the large percentage of horses suffering from low-grade respiratory problems…"

Suann did not directly involve himself either with the British racing issues, or Ahern's reported comments.

"The drug EPO is designed for use in humans suffering with anaemia. It has no role in healthy racehorses, and is a prohibited substance under the Australian Rules of Racing," Suann said.

In Australia, EPO is only available for clinical use in humans on a special authority, and the supply and sale by unauthorized persons is illegal.—Delamere Usher