British racing’s ruling body has no plans to formally interview Dubai ruler and owner of the sport’s largest stable, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.
Racing has been rocked by the doping scandal surrounding one of Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Operation trainers Mahmood al-Zarooni, who received an eight-year ban on Thursday after admitting to ordering the administering of steroids to 15 of his 200-horse stable based at Newmarket.
Sheikh Mohammed – who started Godolphin in 1992 and has seen the blue silks carried to victory in over 2000 races, including 202 Group One winners in 14 countries – has been left deeply angered by the scandal and ordered a complete in-house review of procedures.
In a column in Saturday’s London Daily Telegraph, British Horse Racing Authority chief executive Paul Bittar said that while the 63-year-old Sheikh would not be formally interviewed they would be seeking to talk to him.
“We are not planning to interview Sheikh Mohammed at this stage,” Bittar wrote.
“We will meet with him to understand his plans for this (Al Zarooni’s) yard and this far he and Godolphin’s Racing Manager have been as co-operative as they could have been.”
Al Zarooni had named three relatively junior members of staff, a vet and two Godolphin foremen, in his hearing on Thursday.
Bittar, who held influential posts in New Zealand and Australian racing before being appointed to his present role in January 2012, refuted suggestions that because of Sheikh Mohammed’s status and influence in the industry, the case had been rushed through to avoid it dragging on and keeping the Dubai ruler’s name in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
“People have asked why the BHA moved so fast in the Godolphin case and the simple fact of the matter is we could not afford to have Mahmood al Zarooni left in charge of the stable for a prolonged period once it had been established that he had ordered the administration of the anabolic steroids to horses in his care,” he said.
Bittar added that by exposing this case the BHA had shown that no one, no matter the size of their operation, was above the law.
“No one in racing is outside the Rules and if this case proves anything, it is that,” he said.
Sheikh Mohammed also has a Newmarket stable under the care of long-time trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
His international concerns include the successful Darley Australia breeding and racing operation.
