Blood samples taken from two racehorses trained in partnership by Bevan and Richard Laming are definitely positive to the prohibited blood-boosting drug EPO, Racing Victoria Ltd (RVL) says.RVL stewards have rejected entries this weekend for the two horses involved in the scandal, acting on veterinary advice and under the provisions of Australian Rule of Racing 50 and 8(m).Benelli was to run in Saturday's Group Two JJ Liston Stakes at Caulfield and War Dancer was entered in Sunday's Crisp Steeple

Blood samples taken from two racehorses trained in partnership by Bevan and Richard Laming are definitely positive to the prohibited blood-boosting drug EPO, Racing Victoria Ltd (RVL) says.

RVL stewards have rejected entries this weekend for the two horses involved in the scandal, acting on veterinary advice and under the provisions of Australian Rule of Racing 50 and 8(m).

Benelli was to run in Saturday's Group Two JJ Liston Stakes at Caulfield and War Dancer was entered in Sunday's Crisp Steeplechase at Sandown.

RVL will not accept further nominations for Benelli or War Dancer until further notice.

The Lamings will seek a Supreme Court order later on Friday to allow the horses to race this weekend.

The latest results confirm earlier tests that indicated EPO was in the horses' systems.

Latest analysis of the blood samples was carried out by HFL Sports Science in the United Kingdom and has confirmed the presence of the synthetic EPO darbepoetin alfa, a prohibited substance as defined in AR 177B (2).

Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) has also advised RVL that the Hong Kong Jockey Club Racing Laboratory has reported an irregularity to either recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) or darbepoetin alfa from an out-of-competition blood sample taken from Benelli on July 2.

This sample has been referred to HFL Sports Science in the United Kingdom for further analysis.

Both Bevan and Richard Laming have been advised of these findings.

The blood samples were taken from Benelli and War Dancer on June 11 as part of the out-of-competition testing regime being conducted by RVL stewards in Victoria.

The initial findings were reported to RVL by RASL through their screening process and then confirmed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Racing Laboratory.

Benelli has raced three times since June 11 winning over 1600m at Sandown on June 13, finishing runner-up to Gold Salute in the Listed Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Flemington on July 4 and winning over 1800m at Caulfield on July 18.

If Benelli was to be disqualified from those two wins, it would cost winning jockey Craig Williams a share of the Melbourne jockeys' premiership title for the 2008-09 season after tying with Damien Oliver.

"It's too early to pre-empt anything like that at this stage," acting chief steward Allan Reardon said.

"We're in the early stages of the investigation and the main thing was to withdraw the horses from their engagements tomorrow based on the evidence we have been given."

War Dancer has raced twice since June 11 finishing third to Mazzacano in the Australian Steeple (3900m) and an unplaced effort on the flat at Sale before an eight-length Cranbourne steeple trial win on August 7.

RVL stewards are continuing their investigation into the analysts' findings.