SportHorse racingBritish Horseracing AuthorityMolly Gunn, an apprentice with 22 wins, rode for the first time since completing a six month ban having blamed the finding on contact with a third party10:10, 14 Jul 2026A promising jockey suspended for six months after testing positive for cocaine underwent toenail testing to prove she was drug-free..‌Molly Gunn, a 26-year-old apprentice based with Worcestershire trainer Tony Carroll, has ridden 22 winners since making her debut in 2021. She was stood down by the BHA in December last year after a urine sample given after riding at Wolverhampton was found to contain benzoylecgonine, the major metabolite of cocaine.‌When her case came before a BHA disciplinary hearing, Gunn accepted she was in breach of the rules, as it is a strict liability offence, and her proposed sentence. But she argued the positive sample was the result of cross-contamination by a third party.‌Her lawyer Harry Stewart-Moore said: “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.”Gunn completed her ban on June 21 but only returned to action on Monday, having needed extra time to recover from a broken tibia, fibula and ankle. She finished fifth of six on her only ride at Ayr.Posting on X she said: “Looking forward to be back after the worst and most character building six months of my life!‌“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.”‌Content cannot be displayed without consentSingling out the Professional Jockeys’ Association for special thanks, she added: “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.Article continues below“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.”Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌British Horseracing AuthorityDrugsHospitalsCocaine