THE trainer of a horse who finished unplaced at Meydan in February was on Monday banned for eight and a half months after he admitted administering a prohibited substance prior to the race.
Abdullah Al Tamimi was prevented from having any more runners in 2014 after a post-race urine sample taken from Serjaan following his tenth place finish in the Longines Prima Luna showed that the six-year-old was found to contain the anti-inflammatory substance diclofenac.
The Emirates Racing Authority stewards heard evidence from the trainer and ERA head veterinary officer Dr. David Sykes. Al Tamimi admitted a breach of ERA rule 95A 1(b) in that he administered Voltaren to Serjaan.
As well as the ban handed to the trainer, Serjaan was disqualified from the maiden and the places altered accordingly.
Al Tamimi's ban for prohibited substances offences follows the one handed down to another UAE-based trainer in January.
Mohammed Ibrahim Abdelmajid felt the force of the stewards when, on appeal by the trainer, they increased his three-month ban to 12 months and doubled his fine to AED 30,000 (£4,900/€5,900).
In this case a post-race urine sample from one of the trainer's runners, Journalistic, at Jebel Ali on December 13 was found to contain prohibited substances caffeine and theophylline.