Vayrann

Vayrann began his racing career in the Prix Ajax, a maiden race over 2000 metres at Saint-Cloud Racecourse and won by five lengths. He then finished second to his stable companion Akarad in the Prix de l'Avre over 2400m at Longchamp Racecourse in May. He was the matched against older horses in the Prix Jean de Chaudenay at Saint Cloud in which he was matched against Argument, a colt who had won the 1980 Washington, D.C. International Stakes. Vayrann won decisively by three lengths from Kelbomec with Argument in third place. On his next appearance the colt was moved up in distance to contest the Grand Prix de Paris over 3000m at Longchamp on 4 July. He started the 6/4 favourite but finished third of the eleven runner behind the British colt Glint of Gold and the out-and-out stayer Tipperary Fixer.[6]

After a two-month break, Vayrann returned in the Prix du Prince d'Orange over 2000m at Longchamp in September in which he was matched against the Prix du Jockey Club winner Bikala. The race attracted a great deal of attention as it also saw the reappearance of Storm Bird, the leading European two-year-old of 1980, who had been off the course for eleven months. Vayrann produced a strong finish to overtake Bikala inside the final furlong and won by half a length, with Storm Bird unplaced. Vayrann was then sent to England to contest the Champion Stakes over ten furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse. Ridden by Yves Saint-Martin he started the 15/2 second favourite behind the 2000 Guineas winner To-Agori-Mou in a field which also included the Irish filly Cairn Rouge who had won the race in 1981 as well as Master Willie, Madam Gay and The Wonder. Vayrann was always among the leaders, took the lead inside the final quarter mile and never looked in danger of defeat, winning by two lengths from Cairn Rouge, with the 66/1 outsider Amyndas two length further back in third. A post-race urine sample gave a positive result but the result of the race was left unaltered pending a Jockey Club inquiry held in the following year.[6]

On his four-year-old debut, Vayrann contested the Group One Prix Ganay over 2100m at Longchamp on 2 May. He looked less than fully fit and ran well to finish fourth behind Bikala, Lancastrian and Al Nasr with Kalaglow and April Run unplaced. Two months later in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Vayrann started third favourite at odds of 7/2. He finished fifth behind Glint of Gold, sustaining a serious injury to his right foreleg which ended his racing career.[7]

The inquiry into Vayrann's positive test took place at a private session of the Jockey Club's disciplinary committee on 7 June 1982. The horse's urine sample had been found to contain Estrane-3.17 Diol a substance produced by the breakdown of anabolic steroids. The use of steroids is banned in British racing (although at the time they were allowed to be used as a medication for horses who were out of training) and it was widely expected that Vayrann would be disqualified. The Aga Khan's team of experts argued that it was possible for a male horse to produce Estrane naturally as a breakdown product from testosterone, and that the Jockey Club's list of prohibited substances only covered those which were administered externally. The committee accepted these arguments and allowed Vayrann to keep the race.[7][8]