Sniffer dog? You betcha!
The world of greyhound racing is still reeling following the shock news yesterday evening that Clonbrien Hero, winner of the Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park this summer, has tested positive for cocaine.
Following drug tests on three separate dates at Cork Greyhound Stadium in June and July, the party animal – who is trained by Graham Holland for Kay Murphy – returned a positive test for Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, on three occasions during the summer races.
Clonbrien Hero won the July 22nd Laurels final in just 28 seconds. Following the adverse test results, the €30,000 prize money has been frozen and the colourful greyhound cannot race again until it is passed clear. And, perhaps, also undergone a stint in rehab.
While canines tend not to ingest the drug through their nostrils via rolled-up banknotes, cocaine has a similar effect on dogs as it does on humans. There were a number of positive tests in the US this summer, with several greyhound trainers having their licences revoked after their dogs were discovered to have coke in their systems.
A spokesman for the Garda Drug Squad, who didn’t wish to be named, told Hot Press: “We’re sniffing around this case at the moment, and following a few definite lines… of inquiry. We’re hoping that some of our pedigree chums in the criminal fraternity will send us barking up the right tree and we’ll get to the bottom the tail.”
A dog racing insider saw the funny side.
“The whole thing is a howl,” he said. “Whoever gave him the Charlie must have been a bit of a mutt."