The Australian horse Smoken Up has lost its Interdominion pacing title and is now in doubt for next week's New Zealand Cup after returning a positive drug test but trainer Lance Justice is maintaining his innocence.
Justice was found guilty of presenting a horse to race while not free of the prohibited substance DMSO.
Smoken Up is the favourite for Tuesday's race at Addington but the horse is now no certainty to turn out in the Cup.
Justice says there were serious question marks around security after the final at Alexandra Park in April and the owners will be appealing.
The decision returned by the Judicial Control Authority admits there is no evidence Justice or anyone in his stable was personally responsible for the DMSO appearing in Smoken Up's system.
