Stewards wrap: Knackery meat leads to more positive swabs
TWO Victorian trainers recently faced the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board (RADB) after being charged with breaches of the prohibited substance rule GAR 83 (2)(3).
Both trainers had greyhounds which returned positive urine samples to the drug Dehydronorketamine, a pain relief drug which is a metabolite of Ketamine.
The first trainer to face the board was Chris Darmanin, whose greyhound Aeroplane Tommy had shown the presence of the substance when competing at Ballarat on December 7, 2015.
Darmanin pleaded guilty to the charge and gave evidence that the source of the substance was most likely from the meat fed to the greyhound, which had been obtained from a pet food supplier.
Darmanin said he would be feeding his greyhounds human grade meat from now on.
Upon considering a penalty, the board was mindful of the evidence tendered at the hearing and that Darmanin had two prior positive swabs to the substance Procaine in 2009 and 2014 respectively.
The RADB subsequently handed down a six month disqualification, to commence on June 7, 2016.
The second trainer was Andrea Chapple, whose greyhound, Zoltina's Legacy, returned a urine sample which showed the presence of Dehydronorketamine when competing at Ballarat on December 4, 2015.
Chapple also pleaded guilty and gave evidence that the substance was likely the result of being fed knackery meat from a pet food supplier.
Stewards considered Chapple's guilty plea, her co-operation with the stewards and her lack of prior transgressions under the GAR and good character.
She was subsequently disqualified for three months, two months of which was suspended for 12 months, provided there are no further breaches of the rules in that period, with the disqualification commencing on June 7, 2016.
Aeroplane Tommy and Zoltina's Legacy were also disqualified from their respective races.
Lord fined and disqualified
Former leading trainer Jodie Lord was the subject of a recent Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) Stewards inquiry after two of her greyhounds returned urine samples which tested positive to prohibited substances.
Lord was slapped with two breaches of GAR 83(2).
The first charge was after the greyhound Magic Earner showed the presence of the prohibited substance oxazepam, a category five substance, with Lord entering an early guilty plea.
For this breach, Lord was disqualified for a period of 18 weeks.
The second charge was in relation to the greyhound Omega Deacon which returned a positive urine sample to the substance methylprednisolone.
Lord entered an early guilty plea and made the submission that the greyhound had been treated by a vet who had advised her not to race the greyhound for 21 days which was supported by treatment records and a signed letter by her vet.
Upon considering all of the evidence provided, Stewards imposed a $1,250 fine.
Both greyhounds were also scratched from their respective races.
Flanagan fined
Daniel Flanagan has been issued a fine by GRNSW Stewards after being found guilty of two breaches of GAR 83(2).
The details of the charges were that Flanagan's greyhounds, Explosive Madam and Explosive Range, returned urine samples showing the presence of the prohibited substance atenolol at Wentworth Park (December 9) and Gosford (February 2) respectively.
Flanagan entered early guilty pleas to both charges, giving evidence that the positive sample was likely to have resulted from prescription medication, which was reduced to a powdered form for personal use by a family member, which had been inadvertently transferred to the greyhound's food source.
Stewards accepted this evidence and considered it when deciding an appropriate penalty which was determined to be a $750 fine for each charge.
The greyhounds were also disqualified from their respective races.
Olling guilty
Mary Olling recently faced a GRNSW Stewards inquiry after being charged with a breach of GAR 83(2).
The specifics of the charge were that Olling presented her greyhound Simply Wrecked at Richmond on November 18, 2015, when it was not free of a prohibited substance, with a urine sample detecting the presence of caffeine and its metabolites in the dog's system.
Oiling entered an early guilty plea via letter, giving evidence that the greyhound had consumed chocolate in the days leading up to the race.
Upon considering the penalty, Stewards were mindful of her early guilty plea and that she had held her license since 1975 with no prior offences.
Subsequently, Olling was slapped with a 20 week disqualification, commencing on April 18, 2016.