The New South Wales Racing Laboratory has developed a test to detect the drug erythropoietin, commonly known as EPO, in racehorses, according to release on the Racing New South Wales Web site. The medication is considered a performance-enhancer.

Tony Hartnell, chairman of the New South Wales Thoroughbred Racing Board, said development of the test is a major scientific achievement and major leap forward in the detection of the group of substances known as “peptide hormones.”

“There have been concerns both within and outside the racing industry that EPO may have been administered to racehorses with the intent of enhancing performance,” Hartnell said. “This test is a major breakthrough both for the integrity of racing, and for the welfare of the horse.”

EPO is designed for use in humans suffering with anemia. It is a prohibited substance under the rules of racing in New South Wales. The medication isn’t permitted for use in horses in the United States, either, and chemists have been trying to develop an equine test for the drug