Apprentice jockey Molly Gunn, 26, returned to racing on Monday after completing a six-month suspension for a positive cocaine test, which she attributed to cross-contamination. To prove her innocence, the Professional Jockeys' Association commissioned independent toenail testing that covered a 12-month period, returning completely negative results with zero detection.
Details of the Ban and Return
Gunn, who has ridden 22 winners since her debut in 2021, was stood down by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in December last year after a urine sample taken following a ride at Wolverhampton contained benzoylecgonine, the major metabolite of cocaine. At a BHA disciplinary hearing, Gunn accepted the breach—a strict liability offence—and the proposed sentence, but argued the positive sample resulted from cross-contamination by a third party.
Her lawyer, Harry Stewart-Moore, stated: “I can’t over-emphasise the point which is that Miss Gunn denies in the strongest possible terms that she has ever taken cocaine or any other illicit substance or ever purposefully ingested cocaine or any other illicit substance, but accepted the positive finding.”
Injury and Recovery
Gunn completed her ban on June 21 but needed extra time to recover from a broken tibia, fibula, and ankle. She returned to action at Ayr, finishing fifth of six on her only ride. Posting on X, she described the period as “the worst and most character building six months of my life.”
She added: “It started with my world being turned upside down with the shocking phone call to inform me of a positive cocaine test - anyone that knows me would know well that I would never and haven’t ever taken drugs! As if that wasn’t enough, the very next day I then suffered a severe lower leg and ankle break, resulting in a lengthy stay in hospital (over Xmas!) with two surgeries.”
Toenail Testing and Contamination Claim
Singling out the Professional Jockeys’ Association for special thanks, Gunn explained: “With my injury and personal circumstances I accepted the breach of the rules and the six-month penalty as the drug was present in my sample but maintained it was there through contamination. For my own peace of mind the PJA commissioned independent toenail testing covering a 12-month period - six months before and six months after the original result which returned completely negative with zero detection throughout. I accept the result of the urine test and take responsibility for it but it did at least reassure me that there was some corroborating evidence for my account.”
