A horse trainer whose winning horse tested positive for meth could get his disqualification period halved if he can prove he doesn’t use the drug.

Darren Smith’s horse Tazimoto finished first at a race in Ruakaka in May this year. It was tested by race officials shortly after, revealing the presence of methamphetamine in its system.

Smith was also tested and found to have traces of the drug in his urine and hair - indicating that he was a long-term user.

However, Smith blamed his stablehand for both his and Tazimoto’s contamination, claiming that his use must have somehow made its way into their systems too.

But that excuse didn’t fly with the Racing Integrity Board who in August disqualified him from racing for two and a half years.

Smith has since appealed against that decision and been granted the possibility of halving the disqualification period if he can submit to bi-monthly drug tests to prove he isn’t using the drug.

 “We consider it appropriate to provide Mr Smith with the opportunity to give force to his position that, despite the positive test, he is not a user of Methamphetamine,” the Board said in its decision released yesterday.

Part of Smith’s argument was that the Board granted Whanganui horse trainer Rochelle Lockett the same opportunity when she and her horse tested positive for the drug earlier this year.

Lockett admitted her problem to the Board and proactively sought rehabilitative help.

“It is certainly arguable that Ms Lockett had more mitigating factors in her favour due to the rehabilitative steps taken by her relating to her methamphetamine use,” the Board said.

Rochelle Lockett has received a three-year ban after methamphetamine was found in her system and that of a horse she trained. Photo / File

 “By comparison, Mr Smith denied being a user of methamphetamine and therefore had taken no active steps in this regard.”

They said that Smith should be given a similar opportunity to shorten his disqualification period because it encourages proper rehabilitation and was in the interests of animal welfare.

Since 2001 there have been roughly 15 cases where trainers or jockeys have tested positive for methamphetamine.

It’s something the Racing Integrity Board is aware of and acknowledged last month when they banned greyhound trainer Marie Prangley for two and half years after one of her dogs was found with meth in its system.

“Methamphetamine detections are becoming more common,” the Board said in that decision.

However, they noted that the problem was more-prevalent in greyhound racing than in harness or thoroughbred racing.