DARREN Weir-trained star Trust In A Gust makes his return to racing in Saturday’s group 2 Australia Stakes, 1200m, at Moonee Valley.
Weir is aiming to win a third group 1 with the horse, which has not raced since having surgery to remove a chip from a stifle.
His last outing was at Flemington in August, when he finished down the track in the group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap, 1200m.
Weir said the horse – already sold to Swettenham Stud – would head to the group 1 CF Orr Stakes, 1400m, at Caulfield on February 13 following his run on Saturday. His third-up assignment will then be mapped out.
Meanwhile, stewards will brief the Racing Victoria Integrity Council over the recent spate of positives to Ibuprofen.
A number of horses have returned positive swabs on raceday to the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory which is not registered for use on horses in training.
But it has been used on horses in rehabilitation from tendon injuries and problems are believed to be caused by the erratic clearance time from their system.
Weir-trained Signoff recently returned an irregularity after previously testing negative.
"The horses that have shown the very prolonged and unpredictable clearances of Ibuprofen had been subjected to exceptionally high doses of Ibuprofen continuously over a period of months as part of tendon injury rehabilitation programs," RV's head veterinarian Dr Brian Stewart said.
"It appears that the parent drug has accumulated in the horses bodies and is being cleared from storage sites very slowly and erratically."
Racing Victoria's executive general manager of integrity Dayle Brown said the matter would be referred to the RV Integrity Council given the exceptional circumstances associated with the recent incidents.
RV is currently formulating a policy for the management of affected horses.
"We are sensitive to the difficulties currently being faced by owners and trainers of horses which have been administered Ibuprofen," Brown said.
with AAP
