Robert Tyner, who is set to call time on his career as a trainer, has narrowly avoided having his licence suspended after his winning horse Blustery tested positive for a banned substance.

Blustery won the Division 2 of the Templeglantine Handicap Chase at Limerick on 10 July last year but blood tests taken on the horse showed the precence of dexamethasone.

Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid used to treat a variety of conditions in horses, including lameness and respiratory disease, is prohibited by the IHRB under National Hunt Steeplechase rules.

Tyner did not take up the option to ask for a B sample.

The horse won the 2 mile 6 furlong race at odds of 40/1.

In the immediate aftermath of the race, the stewards requested a report from Robert Tyner as to the apparent improvement in form of Blustery, placed first, as compared with its recent form.

The horse had been beaten by a minimum of 33 lengths in eight previous races

Mary Tyner, the authorised representative for Robert Tyner, stated that the better ground on the day coupled with a step up in trip had helped to bring about the apparent improvement in the horse's performance.

Blood tests later showed the corticosteroid in a report received from LGC Laboratories, Newmarket in England.

Doctor Lynn Hillyer, IHRB Head of Anti-Doping and Chief Veterinary Officer, gave evidence that Tyner administered the substance intravenously, having been left the product by his veterinary surgeon for the treatment of another horse.

That was documented in Tyner's medicine's diary.

Hillyer explained the seriousness of the trainer administering a prescription only medicine intravenously and added that it was an issue relating to relevant legislation whereby such activity must only be carried out by a veterinary surgeon in the interests of the animal’s health and welfare and the safety and efficacy of the medication.

Tyner described the event as "unfortunate", claiming that the mare had a mild heat rash and he administered the medication not realising that he wasn’t allowed to do so.

Blustery had been entered for the race in Limerick but the trainer felt it was unlikely to get in based on the ballot.

Two divisions were then declared, leaving Blustery in the second race, which Tyner said was a surprise to him and by then he had forgotten he had given the horse the injection.

The IRHB committee described the incident as very serious as they disqualified the horse.

They added it "borders on recklessness on some people’s minds".

Peter Allen, speaking on behalf of the committee, said: "We take an extremely serious view, particularly as you are a licenced trainer and we would expect that licenced trainers would not be involved in that kind of self-diagnosis and self-administration without veterinary surgeons being involved and giving their opinion on it.

"We’ve taken into account about your record but we view it as three breaches in three years and we take that as a serious offence.

"It had crossed our mind to suspend your licence but on this occasion we are not going to do that, however we will impose a fine of €5,000."

Meanwhile, Eoghan O’Grady has been fined €1,000 and has seen his runner Springfield Lodge disqualified following her win in the WKD Handicap Steeplechase on 21 March last year at Downpatrick Racecourse after the horse tested positive for the banned substance tetramisole.

Tetramisole is an anthelmintic, known as a wormer, for cattle/sheep and used as an immunostimulant in horses.

When contacted by Doctor Sarah Ross of the IHRB about the adverse analytical finding relating to Springfield Lodge, O’Grady was provided with certain scenarios as to a possible cause for it being detected in the horse but he was unable to offer any explanation for the source of the substance.

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