Henderson Faces Bha After Queen's Horse Tests Positive

Nicky Henderson, one of jump racing's most successful trainers, will attend a disciplinary hearing at the headquarters of the British Horse racing Authority in London today facing the possibility that he will lose his license as the result of a positive dope test on a horse owned by The Queen.

Henderson's runner Moonlit Path tested positive for tranexamic acid, an anti-bleeding agent which has the brand name Cyklokapron. He is charged with administering, or conniving in the administration of, the substance either with the intention of affecting Moonlit Path's racing performance or in the knowledge that her performance might be affected.

A newspaper report yesterday suggested that Henderson, who trained the final winner at Royal Ascot on Saturday when the 12-year-old Caracciola became the oldest ever winner at the meeting, is preparing to "put his hands up" and plead guilty to the charge in the hope that he will receive only a fine from the authorities rather than the suspension of his license.

However, the BHA said yesterday that it has not received any indication from Henderson that he is preparing to admit the charge, and a full hearing of the case - rather than just consideration of a penalty - is expected today.

Henderson's hearing comes less than a fortnight after Matt Gingell, a former trainer, was banned from the sport for two years for "milkshaking" a horse with sodium bicarbonate.