The following licenses were granted at a Licensing Meeting held on 6 March 2018:  

TRAINERS 

FPP Habib (Central Province) 

D Steyn (Central Province) 

ASSISTANT TRAINERS 

JS Roux to Trainer J van Eck (Central Province) 

Z Oosthuizen to Trainer LJ Human (Central Province) 

TI Dawson to Trainer CT Dawson (Central Province) 

STABLE EMPLOYEES 

J Looyen to Trainer GJ Maroun (Central Province) 

VK Ragoonath to Trainer JH Strydom (Eastern Cape) 

HJ vd Westhuizen to Trainer H vd Westhuizen (Central Province) 

IG Alli to Trainer N Kotzen (Kwa-zulu Natal) 

I Burger to Trainer LJ Human  (Central Province) 

D Kotzen to Trainer CL Bass-Robinson (Western Cape) 

K Kotzen to Trainer GS Kotzen (Western Cape) 

G Goldsmith to Trainer SJ Lerena (Central Province) 

RA Venniker to Trainer CG Eudey (Kwa-Zulu Natal) 

DR Steyn to Trainer D Steyn (Central Province) 

ML Thomas to Trainer GS Kotzen (Western Cape) 

JOCKEY AGENTS 

F Zackey to Jockey CJ Habib (Central Province) 

KG Nicol to Jockey AD Andrews (Western Cape)

OFFICIALS 

V Doorgapershad  - Clerk of Scales (Eastern Cape) 

SP Pati  - Specimen Collector (Eastern Cape) 

M de Vrye - Handler (Eastern Cape) 

N Thinyane  - Handler (Eastern Cape) 

J van der Hoff- Horse Identifier (Central Province) 

LA Diedericks - Specimen Collector (Western Cape)

NOTICE OF MEETING 

Notice is hereby given that the One Hundred and Thirty Sixth Annual General Meeting of Members will be held at the offices of The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa, Turf Club Street, Turffontein, on Wednesday, 17 January 2018, at 14:00 to transact the following business: 

1. To consider and confirm the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Members held on Wednesday, 18 January 2017. 
2. To consider the Report of the Chairman of the National Board of Directors for the year ended 31 July 2017. 
3. To receive and consider the audited Financial Statements of The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa and the Funds held in Trust for the period ended 31 July 2017. 
4. To appoint the Authority’s Auditors. 
5. To transact any business which may be transacted at an Annual General Meeting.  

                                                                               Proxy Forms are available Click Here

Lyndon Barends                                                                                                                                                            15 December 2017

Chief Executive   

Prednisolone hemisuccinate is a prohibited substance

Prednisolone is a corticosteroid and is a prohibited substance with a similar effect to hydrocortisone. Both prednisolone and hydrocortisone are commercially available as hemisuccinate (succinic acid) derivatives. The ester derivative, hydrocortisone hemisuccinate, is found in the preparation Solu Cortef while the similar ester, prednisolone hemisuccinate, is found in the well-known preparation Solu delta Cortef.

The term ester describes the link of the molecule succinate (succinic acid) to the corticosteroid (prednisolone) which is so-called ester linkage. This linked prednisolone hemisuccinate molecule has enhanced water solubility compared to prednisolone itself. Contained in injectable formulations, this ester derivative permits the intravenous administration of higher doses of prednisolone than otherwise possible.

When injected the prednisolone hemisuccinate is broken down in the body (the ester is hydrolysed) resulting in the release of prednisolone, the active corticosteroid molecule.

Prednisolone hemisuccinate is therefore not only an ester derivative but also a pro-drug of prednisolone. A pro-drug is defined as a precursor of a drug molecule that results in the formation of the drug (in this case prednisolone).

The hydrolysis of prednisolone hemisuccinate is not immediate. This ester derivative can be detected in both blood and urine for a period of at least 24 hours following the intravenous administration of a normal dose of a prednisolone hemisuccinate preparation (such as Solu delta Cortef).

As described in Rule 73.4, pro-drugs of prohibited substances and metabolites of prohibited substances are also prohibited substances. The administration of injected prednisolone hemisuccinate can therefore result in positive declarations on prednisolone hemisuccinate and/or prednisolone and/or known metabolites of prednisolone.

Methocarbamol is a muscle relaxant used to treat skeletal muscle spasms, with some effect on the central nervous system.  One of its actions is to block nerve impulses (such as pain sensations) to the brain. Methocarbamol is locally available as a human tablet preparation of commercial name “Robaxin”. It has therapeutic application in the horse and is used for the treatment of acute inflammatory and traumatic conditions of the skeletal muscle to reduce muscle spasm and effect muscle relaxation. Within the NHA Classification it is “Class 4 - substances which have a generally accepted veterinary (therapeutic) use in the racehorse but which have the potential to affect performance.”

Methocarbamol is a substance with an Asian Racing Federation screening limit and as member of this federation, the NHA has adopted this limit. This screening limit of 100 ng/ml in urine applies to: “Methocarbamol (restricted to single oral or IV treatment of no more than 5 grams)”

Within this guidance above it is clearly stated that it applies only to a single administration. The reason for this is that multiple dose of this substance have been reported to result in an accumulation of methocarbamol. This is non-predictable between different horses. This accumulation implies that multiple doses have an excretion time which is much longer than that of a single dose.

In oral studies there have been evidence of recycling during some trials. Recycling is when the preparation remains present in stable areas after administration (for example spilling, dripping or spitting by the horse), or when the substance is excreted in the urine and faeces and re-enters the horse. This can be reduced if the stable is frequently and thoroughly cleaned and with the realisation that it is not highly soluble in cold water. Recycling can be non-predictable between horses as well as in different stable environments.

It is recommended that Methocarbamol only be used as single dose treatment to the racehorse, with a detection time of about 48 hours (two days). With a detection of two days a withdrawal time period significantly longer than this must apply.  In isolation of this statement and guidance is the fact that a withdrawal period of several weeks must be applied when multiple doses are administered as part of a treatment regimen.

Consult your veterinarian with regards to suitable withdrawal periods. The NHA does not assume any legal, professional or other responsibility or duty whatsoever as to the accuracy of the data presented in this document. Please note that reliance on and use of the above information does not absolve or diminish a trainer or owner from being responsible for ensuring that the horse complies with the rules relating to the presence of prohibited substances when presenting a horse for a race.