SYDNEY, July 2 AAP - Racing NSW stewards have opened an inquiry into the finding of the prohibited substance tranexamic acid in a urine sample taken from Cool Saab after he won at Broken Hill in March, believed to be the first time the anti-bleeding agent has been detected in a thoroughbred in Australia.

Champion pacer Changeover became the first southern hemisphere horse to test positive to tranexamic acid following his win in the Len Smith Mile at Menangle on April 26.

The drug has also been the subject of a high-profile inquiry in England involving a horse trained by Nicky Henderson for the Queen.

He has been found guilty of its use, but British racing authorities are yet to adjudicate on penalty.

Tranexamic acid is used to prevent bleeding by increasing clot formation and is prohibited under the rules of racing.

No date for the inquiry into the positive swab taken from Cool Saab, trained by Peter Blanch at Morphettville, has yet been set.

AAP TURF gm/



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