Drug scandals are normally the reserve of athletes, but in the increasingly competitive world of sport even animals are not immune from suspicion.

As pony racing in North America has found itself enveloped by allegations of cheating, so the sport in Bermuda is seeking to stop such whispers here firmly in their tracks.

At last weekend's Bermuda Driving Horse and Pony Club's Champion of Champions races, drug testers swooped unannounced on the Vesey Street venue with samples of blood taken from the three top horses, overall winner GV Colonel Spence ridden by Nick DeCosta, Tuxedo's Bowtie ridden by Eddie Roque and Chris Wells' Tell Me About It.

In association with the Veterinary Association of Bermuda, Charles Whited, SPCA Inspector and Chairman of the Pony Club's Rules and Officials Committee, then arranged for samples to be FedEx'd to New York's Cornell University.

At one of the foremost veterinary hospitals in the US, Cornell's scientists are currently studying the three specimens and their results are expected some time next week.

"We randomly tested the horses for performance-enhancing substances," explained Whited. "It is illegal to inject or give a horse any drugs that are contained on a list provided by Cornell University. The list contains all the illegal substances that people are not allowed to use on their horses in order to make them run faster."

Whited said such steps had never been taken in Bermuda before but because the sport wanted to maintain a clean-cut image cultivated over the past decade it had become necessary.

"There were a few very small rumours that there were certain individuals coming here that were known to have been dabbling in it overseas," said Whited. "So, in order to cover ourselves we formally notified all the participants that it was illegal and that we would be starting to carry out random tests. They were given a list of the illegal drugs so that each and every one of them knew it but they were never told when it was going to happen."

Whited stressed that there had not been any instances of competitors cheating in Bermuda and the three whose horses were tested on Sunday were not under suspicion.

"The harness racers here in Bermuda travel extensively throughout the summer race season so we meet a lot of people overseas," he said. "You know how people are, there is always that bit of doubt when a horse appears to be doing extremely well over whether that person has given that horse a performance enhancing substance. In order to rule that out, this is what we have done and all the people have been very receptive to it."

Whited said regardless of how the results came back, testing was here to stay.

"It will be extremely random," he said. "It could be every other race day next season, it could be every race day or it might be only once next season. Who knows?"

David Lopes, harness racing's president, said the tests were done in accordance with International Trotting and Pacing Association regulations.

"Ever since racing started here 10 or 11 years ago we have used the ITPA rule book as the guide and I think the maximum penalty is a $1,000 fine and/or expulsion," he said adding: "I'm very proud of the fact that our club is the first club to do this. People know that the Driving Horse and Pony Club do not stand for any alcohol or drug use at our meets. The drivers have been tested over the past two years and it's just a natural progression to now do the horses.

"It's billed as a family sport and an awful lot of people are beginning to realise that you can come out and have a good time and some good clean fun without drugs, alcohol or profane language."