by Jason Ford
Mazin Al Kurdi, the Emirates Racing Association's champion trainer in each of the last two seasons, had his licence suspended for four months Dec. 4. Four of his seven winners this season tested positively for the banned substance boldenone, a steroid. This effectively rules the trainer out of the remainder of the UAE season, which ends in early April and means Al Kurdi will miss the Dubai International Racing Carnival starting on Jan. 19. Al Kurdi is to appeal. It is unclear whether he can continue to run horses pending the appeal. Both of his winners on the first night of the season, Burgundian and Northern Rock, as well as Delude and Blazing Ability, who won the following weekend, have failed both primary and secondary tests of their samples and were disqualified. At an inquiry staged on Sunday, the stewards heard statements from the trainer, his assistant and brother, Samir Al Kurdi, the attending vet and numerous stable staff. The ERA veterinary officer and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory analyst also tendered evidence at the inquiry.After all the evidence had been submitted and analyzed, the four horses were disqualified and the trainer found guilty on four charges of presenting horses to race with the banned substance in their systems. With approximately 120 horses in training, predominantly for perennial champion owner Sheikh Rashid, Al Kurdi was by far the most successful trainer at the 2005 Dubai International Racing Carnival.
Delude tested positive for a banned substance after this win in the second leg of the Emirates International Apprentice Jockeys Championship.
