Following rolling implementation during recent months, all post-race tests at Royal Ascot will be carried out using a new mobile app, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced today.
As well as minimizing the risk of errors and creating a more secure, efficient and eco-friendly process, the technology allows the BHA to seamlessly collect and transmit testing data to test management databases.
It will also allow a more data-driven, strategic approach to the deployment of the BHA鈥檚 anti-doping resources in the medium and longer-term.
The project, which has been over two years in development, involves a device consisting of a microchip scanner and barcode reader attached to a smartphone.
Following positive feedback from trainers鈥� representatives and the BHA鈥檚 own sample collection team during the rolling implementation, the app will be in use at the Royal meeting and all subsequent racing fixtures.
Today鈥檚 announcement marks significant progress towards all forms of testing on racehorses in Britain being carried out using the app as part of a more dynamic, modernised anti-doping strategy. Out of competition tests will also be handled via the app in due course.
Further moves towards digital technology are planned for the near future in other areas of raceday operations including for Clerks of the Course and a system to log the arrival of stable staff accompanying horses to the racecourse, which is already in use for the horses themselves.
Brant Dunshea, Director of Integrity and Regulatory operations at the BHA, said: 鈥淲e are committed to keeping British Racing fair and clean and this modernisation of our testing technology is another step forwards on this front.
鈥淭he new processes associated with this technology will be quicker and more secure, as well as enabling us to be smarter, dynamic and take a more strategic view of our constantly evolving Anti-Doping program.鈥�
Notes to editors:
1.聽The BHA鈥檚 equine strategy is focused on testing the right horse, at the right time, for the right substance. It鈥檚 important that our approach is robust, unpredictable and includes a focus on key events.
Equine testing, which includes pre-race, out-of-competition and international import testing, increased in 2016 by 2.4 per cent on 2015 levels. The BHA is planning further, significant increases across all testing platforms for 2017.
