Queen Elizabeth's Horse Gets Busted for Dope

Estimate, a race horse owned by Queen Elizabeth II, is the subject of an investigation following a positive test result for morphine. The Queen’s bloodstock and racing advisor John Warren stated “On 17 July the British Horseracing Authority announced that a number of post-race samples, obtained from recent race meetings, had been found to indicate the presence of morphine.” Morphine, an opiate, is permitted to be used on racehorses outside of competition, but is prohibited on race days.

The Palace has been quick to underplay the test result, saying that the positive was the result of contaminated feed. Veterinarian and trainer Jim Boyle told BBC Radio “A positive result is 99.99% of the time due to a feed contamination. Morphine comes from the opium poppy. There have been studies done whereby ingestion of a poppy-seed bagel or a poppy-seed cake can cause a urine sample, 16 to 24 hours later, to test positive for morphine.”

Estimate is one of five horses who tested positive in relation to the feed. The company that manufactures the feed is currently working with the trainers to find how the product may have been contaminated. Estimate is a five year old mare who won the Gold Cup at the Royal Ascot race in 2013. That result is not being questioned, however there is talk of stripping Estimate of her second place finish in the Gold Cup race held last month which would result in forfeiting the prize money to third place Leading Light.

Despite the negative press, the racing world is considering the incident to be more of an embarrassment than a genuine scandal. According to BBC’s racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght, plans are proceeding to see Estimate participate in next week’s Goodwood Cup at Glorious Goodwood.

Don’t forget to place your bets with Sports Interaction’s daily track odds.