Stewards wrap: Dean Swain fined for positive swab

Stewards' wrap

LEADING New South Wales trainer Dean Swain has been fined $2,000 by Greyhound stewards for a breach of the prohibited substance rule, GAR 83 (2)(a).

The charge was laid after his greyhound Miss Foxy Lee returned a positive urine sample to meloxicam after racing at Wentworth Park on September 10, 2016.

Swain entered an early guilty plea to the charge, which was his second positive swab offence to meloxicam, the first of which was in February 2014.

Stewards considered the fine to be appropriate given Swain's character, as outlined in numerous references, as well as numerous other factors.

Victorian trainer banned for life for cruelty

KILMORE East trainer Ronald Jolley has been banned for life after a shocking case of animal cruelty was exposed.

The investigation was in relation to the greyhound Marbo, who had the kennel name Buck. On June 26, 2016, Buck was injured on the property as a result of being attacked by a kangaroo. The injury was to the greyhound's rib cage area, with Jolley giving evidence that he gave the greyhound some leftover painkiller tablets and cleaned the wound with betadine and bandaged it – rather than taking the greyhound to an after hours vet.

The following day, Buck was left by Jolley in an external kennel area where he was found by Lori Read, an employee of the owner of the property which Jolley lived at. Read took photos of the dog's injury and sent them to the RSPCA.

On June 28, the RSPCA contacted Jolley who told them the greyhound was under the care of veterinarian Dr. Bell at the Craigieburn Animal Hospital. The RSPCA then contacted Dr. Bell who said he had not seen the dog since 2014. The RSPCA then directed Jolley to take the greyhound to the vet.

Buck was taken to the Kilmore East Veterinary Clinic where he was admitted overnight. Jolley was told that the injury was treatable with a relatively simple surgery and a skin graft and although not life threatening, was causing the dog a lot of pain.

Jolley refused the vets at Kilmore the opportunity to treat Buck and said that he would arrange for Dr Bell to treat the greyhound. Jolley told GRV Investigators that the Kilmore Clinic was going to charge $2000 for treatment and that he was not in a financial position to pay for it.

On June 29 Jolley returned to his property with Buck who he shot in the head using a .22 calibre rifle before burying him on a neighbouring property.

Later that day, the RSPCA contacted Jolley who agreed to surrender ownership of Buck to the RSPCA who would provide full care and treatment for him.

Two days later the RSPCA came to collect the dog and after originally lying about the dog running away, Jolley admitted to shooting him. The RSPCA exhumed the greyhound's remains and confirmed his identity.

Jolley told GRV investigators that it was his intention to put Buck down, but was unable to give an explanation why he hadn't done so sooner.

GRV Veterinary Inspection Officer Dr. James observed photos of the injury and said whilst painful, they did not justify euthanasia.

Jolley was charged with two rule breaches, GAR 106 (1)(d) and GAR 106 (2) which relate to failing to provide veterinary care and reasonable care and supervision to prevent a greyhound being subject to unnecessary pain or suffering.

On the charge GAR 106 (1)(d) Jolley was fined $3000, for the charge relating to GAR 106 (2) Jolley was disqualified for life.

Roberts suspended

DUBBO trainer Charmaine Roberts faced a stewards' last week charged with a breach of GAR 83(2). The charge was in relation to Roberts' greyhound Jay Jay Keeping which returned a positive urine sample to cobalt, in excess of the allowed threshold, when competing at Dubbo on April 24, 2016.

Roberts entered an early guilty plea, with stewards considering several factors including her volunteer work at the Dubbo greyhound track and that she had been swabbed more than 200 times since 2006.

Stewards determined to impose an eight-week suspension, with Jay Jay Keeping also disqualified from the race in question.

Cocaine positive

MORGAN Fenwick-Benjes has been slapped with a 12-month ban from the sport after one of his greyhounds returned a positive urine sample to .

The sample was taken from the greyhound Arlo Marlo after it raced at The Gardens 23, 2016. Fenwick-Benjes was charged under GAR 83(2) to which he entered an early guilty plea.

At the inquiry, stewards heard that Fenwick Benjes had not been present at his kennels between December 19 and 23, 2016, with the greyhounds in the care of Tom Dent, an unregistered person, during this time.

It was concluded that the presence of the prohibited substances was likely the result of contamination due to Dent's activities and conduct.

However, stewards determined that culpability rests with the participant who entrusted his greyhounds with an unregistered person.

Stewards backdated the disqualification to March 8, 2017, the date which his licence was originally suspended pending inquiry.

Callaughan fined

RESPECTED trainer John Callaughan has been fined $750 after entering an early guilty plea to a breach of the prohibited substance rule.

The charges were laid after his greyhound Smoke Da Judge returned a positive urine sample to dexamethasone when competing at Richmond on December 2, 2016.

Two other NSW trainers suspended for Cobalt

TRAINER Anthony Hoyland recently faced GRNSW stewards charged with a breach of the prohibited substances rule, GAR 83 (2). The charge was laid after Hoyland's greyhound Garry Jack returned a positive urine sample to the prohibited substance cobalt when competing at on January 12, 2016.

The participant entered an early guilty plea and provided a detailed explanation of the products he uses which contained cobalt. Based on the evidence, stewards determined the positive swab was likely the result of a husbandry failure.

Upon considering the evidence, stewards were mindful that Hoyland had a previous positive swab to benzydamine which was detected in a swab taken on March 13, 2015.

Stewards determined a suspension of 12 weeks to be adequate.

Also fronting GRNSW over a positive to cobalt was Fiona Geary who was charged with a breach of GAR 83(2) after her greyhound Gundal Commando returned a positive swab when competing at Lismore on December 29, 2015.

Stewards considered the circumstances including her clean history in relation to positive swabs and her contribution to the industry including her work as the GBOTA Northern Rivers secretary.

Stewards handed down a 12-week suspension.

Byers guilty of prohibited substance breach

THE Queensland Racing Commission (QRIC) conducted an inquiry on recently into the finding of the prohibited substance desvenlafaxine in a urine sample taken from the greyhound Pentadog after it competed in a race at Ipswich on November 22, 2016.

Trainer Colin Byers was charged with a breach of GAR 83 (2)(a) to which he pleaded guilty.

Stewards fined Byers $1,500 and disqualified Pentadog from the race in question.

Medcalf fined

The QRIC have fined trainer Terry Medcalf after he was found guilty of a breach of the prohibited substance rule.

Medcalf was charged under GAR 83 (2)(a) after his greyhound Shot Clock returned a positive urine sample to salbutamol after it competed in a race at Albion Park on December 15, 2016.

Medcalf pleaded not guilty and gave evidence that the positive could have arisen as a result of the greyhound coming into contact with members of the public at the presentation after the race.

Despite this, the QRIC found Medcalf guilty as charged and issued a $1,500 fine.

Jackson fined

QRIC recently completed an inquiry into registered trainer Thomas Jackson who was charged with a breach of GAR 83 (2)(a) after his greyhound Diamond Fiesta returned a positive urine sample to desvenlafaxine when competing at Townsville on November 8, 2016.

Jackson pleaded not guilty and gave evidence that there were procedural flaws in the swabbing process and that there was inadequate security following the race.

However, stewards were satisfied with the kennel security post-race and the with the sample taking procedures and found Jackson guilty as charged.

As this was Jackson's second breach of GAR 83 (2)(a) within a 12-month period he was fined $2,500.

Unregistered ‘trainer' caught out

TIMOTHY Jones recently fronted a QRIC inquiry after he allegedly entered a greyhound in an official trial at the track on February 1, 2017, when he did not have a greyhound trainer's licence.

During the trial, the greyhound suffered serious injury and was subsequently euthanised.

Jones was charged with a breach of LR 24 (2)(a) which relates to a person being unable to train a greyhound for a race unless they are the holder of an appropriate licence issued by Racing Queensland.

Jones pleaded guilty as charged and was fined $500.

He was informed that any licence application would not be processed until the fine was paid in full.

Berry suspended and fined

GREG Berry fronted a Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board (RADB) inquiry last Wednesday charged with four rule breaches.

Charge one related to GAR 106(1)(d) after it was alleged Berry failed to provide his greyhound Princess Vintage with necessary veterinary care between Sunday October 2, 2016 and Monday October 10, 2016.

Charge two was a breach of GAR 86(d) in that Berry made a false statement to Kim Meredith at the Shepparton Greyhound Club during an inquiry between the aforementioned dates.

Charge three was in relation to GAR 106(2) in that Berry failed to exercise reasonable care to prevent his greyhound being subjected to unnecessary pain and suffering between the above dates.

Charge four was under GAR 32 which related to the greyhound being drawn to compete in an event when it was not fit and properly conditioned to race which he failed to report to stewards as soon as possible.

At the inquiry, Berry, who is licensed in NSW, pleaded guilty to charges one, two and four and not guilty to charge three. The inquiry heard that Berry had administered staples to a wound sustained by Princess Vintage, however he felt that this did not inflict any pain as the greyhound did not react.

Stewards considered numerous factors, including that the injury had initially been treated by a veterinarian and that Berry had provided pain relief in the form of a cream, as well as his genuine remorse.

The RADB suspended Berry for 12 months, with 10 months suspended pending no further breaches of GAR 106 within the next 12 months. He was also fined $250 under GAR 106 (2).

Bushell disqualified

TRARALGON trainer Paul Bushell has been found guilty of two rule breaches relating to the administration of a prohibited substance (GAR 83(1A)) and the presentation of a greyhound to race when not free of a prohibited substance (GAR 83(2)).

The charges were laid after Bushell's greyhound returned a positive urine sample to cobalt when competing at Traralgon on July 25, 2016.

At the RADB inquiry, it was established that the positive swab was a result of the greyhound being administered Aminolite, which contains B12, on the day of the race.

The RADB found Bushell guilty on both charges and was disqualified for 15 months, with 12 months suspended pending no further breaches within the next year.

Pace fined

JOSEPH Pace has been fined by Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) stewards after being found guilty of a breach of GAR 127(10).

The charge was in relation to Pace failing to get a veterinary certificate verifying the health and fitness of the greyhound Saved, which was over eight years old, prior to mating her.

Pace pleaded guilty and was fined $250.

Treherne receives suspended sentence

LARA trainer Craig Treherne recently faced a RADB inquiry charged with two rule breaches relating to the administration of a prohibited substance and presenting a greyhound to race when not free of a prohibited substance.

The positive came from the greyhound Cosmic Goldie which returned a positive urine sample to arsenic above the allowed threshold when competing at on August 22, 2016.

Treherne pleaded guilty to the presentation charge, with stewards withdrawing the administration charge and gave evidence that the swab could have resulted from the greyhound chewing an area of treated pine at the front of his kennel.

Stewards determined to impose a six-month disqualification, wholly suspended pending no further breaches of GAR 83 within the next 12 months.