The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has announced the details of two amendments to the Rules of Racing which took effect April 2.

Implementation of a Race-Day Cobalt Threshold

Since 2014, international racing regulatory efforts have been focused to establish a race-day threshold for cobalt in horses. The BHA has contributed to these efforts via population data, administration studies, and scientific expertise.

This threshold has now been agreed and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities has adopted a race-day urinary threshold for cobalt of 0.01 micrograms (or 100 nanograms) total cobalt per milliliter in urine. On the back of the work carried out by the BHA which supports this threshold level, this will be implemented within the Rules of British Racing as of April 2.

While cobalt is an essential trace element and is naturally present in the horse, some believe it also has the potential to enhance performance when present at concentrations that exceed normal physiological parameters. However, it is also possible that exposure to significantly increased levels of cobalt could have welfare implications for the horse