- A racing trainer has been hit with a significant ban following an investigation
- They will not be able to return to the sport until September 2030
Horse racing trainer Mohamed Ramadan has been banned from the sport for six years following an investigation into his treatment of two horses under his care.
The UAE-based trainer had 36 wins to his name at the end of the most recent season, but was hit with 10 charges by the Emirates Racing Authority (ERA) after they looked into the condition of horses in his stable during an unannounced visit in September.
Ramadan pleaded guilty to all charges, and has now been issued with a six-year ban after a damning report detailed his ‘unacceptable’ conduct.
‘They [the stewards] noted that racing relies on horses as its most integral component, and it is unacceptable for them to be treated in a manner that violates both the ERA Rules and community expectations,’ the report read.
‘The Stewards also underscored the need for the penalty to serve as both a general and specific deterrent, ensuring the integrity and reputation of racing in the UAE are upheld for the future.’
Mutamaasik (front) was one of the two horses found in an ‘unacceptable’ condition, leading to trainer Mohamed Ramadan being banned from the sport for six years
Ramadan will now not be able to return to racing until September 2030, after being disqualified on nine counts and charged £1,000 on the tenth count.
One of the horses in question, Mutamaasik, was found in ‘a very bad state’ by ERA staff last month, while the other horse, Shmshan, was ’emaciated’. Both required professional attention following the September visit.
A subsequent report stated Mutamaasik had blistering while being given no pain relief, and had attained lesions that were ‘significant, painful and infected’.
Meanwhile, Shmshan was given a body condition score of 1 out of 5, needed anti-inflammatories and ‘most importantly to be fed’.
Ramadan claimed he had given both horses medication, but the ERA found no substances when taking blood samples from the horses.
Dr David Craig, the ERA head of Equine Health and Welfare, said he had ‘never seen a blister applied with this level of ferocity that it had been to Mutamaasik’.
He added that the stable medicine cabinet contained ‘some banned and unregistered products, and a large volume of phenylbutazone, which was not being used’.
Ramadan stated during a disciplinary inquiry that he had left a new unlicensed member of staff in charge of the horses while he took a two-month leave.
However, his testimony was deemed ‘inconsistent and difficult to follow’ by the stewards panel, leading to Ramadan being handed a lengthy ban.
