The Association of Official Racing Chemists (AORC) supply blind plasma and urine specimens, on an annual basis, to racing laboratories in order for them to confirm their international analysis compliance. Prohibited substances and metabolites from the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities racing screening and confirmation requirement list are prepared within these specimens at concentrations which are required to be detected and correctly identified.

For many prohibited substances, the concentrations are at low levels. The screening requirement is often more demanding for the forbidden substances (such as anabolic entities, drugs, and pro-drugs).

The NHA Laboratory was recently notified that it achieved a 100% result during this 2023 international racing laboratories proficiency test.

The NHA is pleased to also report that during the past 24 months we were informed of full (100%) compliance when a range of our NHA racing negative specimens from different racing centres tested negative at overseas racing laboratories which “tested” us during this time period.  Seven prominent international racing laboratories were involved in this external testing process of NHA specimens, inclusive of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Laboratory.