Horse racing trainer Willie Mullins has been fined £1,100 while his horse Final Demand has been disqualified from the 2026 Brown Advisory Chase.
The news comes after the British Horseracing Authority published its decision following a post-race test detected a prohibited substance in the horse’s system.
talkSPORT BET Betting Offer – Get up to £30 in free bets – CLAIM HERE*
Final Demand finished second to Kitzbuhel, also trained by Mullins, on March 11 at Cheltenham Festival.
However, that will now be removed from the records along with the £43,672 in prize money which will be redistributed after it was revealed the horse tested positive for prohibited painkiller mepivacaine.
Cheltenham racecourse was also fined £5,000 because CCTV footage from the Charles Turner yard, where Final Demand was stabled, was unavailable during the relevant period, limiting the investigation into the source of the positive sample.
Final Demand was a huge 7/2 shot to win the valuable Brown Advisory Chase in the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
View Tweet: https://x.com/CobdenHarry?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
A post-race sample collected on March 11 confirmed he tested positive for mepivacaine, a category B prohibited substance.
A trace amount of the drug around 1/100th of a dose, was confirmed by laboratory testing on March 26.
Mullins admitted to both charges but was ‘visibly shocked’ after being informed of the result by chief medical officer at the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, Dr Lynn Hillyer on March 30.
And was ‘unable to think of any occasion when the horse may have come into contact with mepivacaine.’
During the investigation it was found that Final Demand had been treated with the drug as a result of being kicked to the jaw on March 3.
A third party vet administered the drug during the treatment which involved stapling a wound.
Dr Virginie Bascop, Mullins’ resident vet, had failed to check with the third party vet about the medication which meant it was failed to be declared.
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and a judicial panel however, concluded the horse must have been separately exposed to the drug closer to the race.
As the findings could not have come from an injection received eight days prior.
However, the panel concluded that Mullins nor any of his staff knew about the administration of the drug before the race, and thus no finding of deliberate doping.
What were the findings?
The findings of a BHA Judicial Panel read: “Following a fast track referral for admitted breaches of Rules (K)2.2 (The Responsible person must ensure that prior to leaving the Racecourse, no Category B Prohibited Substance is present in their horse’s body on a day on which it is engaged to run in a Race) & (J)24.2 (A person must not provide any inaccurate information to the BHA) Mr Mullins has been fined £1,000 & £100 respectively for a global penalty of £1,100.
“Contrary to Rule (K)2.2, FINAL DEMAND (IRE) ran in the Brown Advisory Novices Chase (Grade 1) at Cheltenham Racecourse on 11 March 2026 with a Category B Prohibited Substance (mepivacaine) in its body.
“In breach of Rule (J)24.2 Mr Mullins had failed to declare use of mepivacaine on the horse in its medical declaration forms submitted prior to the Race.
“Subject to Rule (L)47.4 the horse shall be disqualified from the race.”
What is mepivacaine?
Final Demand tested positive for mepivacaine, which is a local anaesthetic used to help numb pain.
It is primarily used as a fast acting local anaesthetic to numb specific areas of the body to block pain during veterinary treatment like minor surgical procedures, including dental.
The drug is commonly used in thoroughbred horses but is a prescription-only medication.
The BHA publishes a detection time of 72 hours for mepivacaine.
However, this is a guideline rather than a guarantee that every trace of the drug will disappear.
talkSPORT BET Betting Offer – Get up to £30 in free bets – CLAIM HERE*
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply.
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
*18+ New customers only. Opt in deposit and bet min £10 (max £30) on any sports (odds 2.00+) within 7 days. Get your initial stake (up to £30) credited in Free Bets. Free Bets to be used on selected markets and expire in 7 days. Scroll Down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly