A greyhound owner has been disqualified for 15 months and ordered to pay €5,000 after his greyhound tested positive for 19-norepiandrosterone, 19-noretiocholanolone, 5a-estran-3B, 17B-diol and 5a-estran-3B, 17a-diol.
According to the latest Greyhound Racing Control Committee report (April 2026), the prohibited substance was detected in urine samples taken from greyhound Bartlemy Soldier following a race at Lifford track in Donegal on 5th April 2025. On the day, the greyhound finished last.
The registered owner of the greyhound - Raymond Hamilton Jnr of 132 Good Shepards Glen, Derry - was not in attendance at a meeting of the control committee.
The committee "noted the evidence given in an Investigation Report Form furnished by Mr Hamilton Jnr in which he outlined that he did not knowingly administer a prohibitive substance to the greyhound Bartlemy Soldier and that his research suggests contaminated meat leads to positive nandrolone test and that he has since changed his meat supplier."
The control committee also heard evidence about the effect the prohibited substance would have on the greyhound and "took particular notice in the evidence provided from Dr Jim Healy of The Irish Greyhound Laboratory in relation to laboratory evidence in which he stated that the sample showed four different canine metabolites for Nandrolone".
The control committee "imposed a Disqualification Order on Raymond Hamilton for a period of 15 months as well as a sanction payment of €5,000 and awarded costs of €750 in favour of Rásaíocht Con Éireann".
Raymond Hamilton Jnr was also fined €5,000 last year after prohibited substances 19-norepiandrosterone and 19-noretiocholanolone were detected in greyhound Long Spartacus after a race at Lifford track on 24th August 2024.
A July 2025 Greyhound Racing Control Committee report stated: “evidence [was] given in an Investigation Report Form furnished by Mr Hamilton Jnr in which he outlined that he did not knowingly administer a prohibitive substance to the greyhound Long Spartacus but stated he accepts responsibility as the greyhound was in his care.”
At the time, the control committee “also sent a warning and admonition to Mr Raymond Hamilton Jnr in relation to his management, control, ownership and training of greyhounds going forward.”
The Greyhound Racing Ireland website shows that Raymond Hamilton Jnr has entered greyhounds into 128 races, with 28 winners.
Bartlemy Soldier and Long Spartacus are among a growing list of greyhounds testing positive for prohibited substances at tracks around Ireland. Find out more at https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2024/02/16/more-and-more-greyhound-testing-positive-for-prohibited-substances/
ACTION ALERT
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Micheál Martin TD
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