In early 2025, anonymous intelligence received by Greyhound Racing Victoria’s (GRV) online reporting channel led to a targeted investigation. A GRV investigator and veterinarian conducted an unannounced kennel inspection, collecting out-of-competition urine samples and seizing multiple used syringes and needles, including one located in a rubbish bin containing red-brown liquid residue.
Exhibits were screened for the presence of unknown and prohibited substances using the laboratory’s ISO17025 accredited investigative testing method. Analysis of this item confirmed the presence of gonadorelin, alongside prototypic peptides corresponding to canine haemoglobin. These haemoglobin peptides, derived from species-specific protein sequences, provided biochemical evidence of intravenous administration of a permanently banned prohibited substance. Crucially, the syringe and needle were not solvent-washed prior to analysis, allowing residual DNA to remain intact.
To establish the identity of the canine exposed to gonadorelin, DNA was extracted from droplets within the syringe and needle using validated protocols and genotyped for 19 canine-specific markers recommended by the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG). Identical female canine DNA profiles were produced from both components, with the results independently verified by a second laboratory.
Searching the Greyhounds Australasia DNA database matched a unique registered litter. A subsequent DNA sample collected from a female greyhound at the property confirmed a match across all markers, providing conclusive identification. The trainer later admitted to administering Fertagyl (gonadorelin acetate) obtained illegally.
The matter was prosecuted before the Victorian Racing Tribunal, where the scientific evidence was pivotal in establishing regulatory breaches.
This case exemplifies the application of forensic proteomics and DNA profiling in racing integrity investigations. It underscores the importance of intelligence-led enforcement, inter-organisation collaboration, and advanced analytical techniques in detecting and prosecuting doping offences in racing.