Steward’s wrap: prominent mentor Pat Lavis suspended
RACING Queensland (RQ) concluded an inquiry last week, which had originally been opened on February 3, which was launched to investigate the care provided to the greyhound Shiraz after it competed at Albion Park on October 18, 2015.
Shiraz had been presented at the meeting by Pat Lavis for trainer Mark Webb, with Lavis taking the greyhound home after the meeting where it was found to be injured.
A veterinary examination conducted six days later revealed the greyhound had a fractured hock and it was subsequently euthanised.
RQ stewards questioned Lavis over his failure to seek veterinary care immediately and also in regard to a statement he provided, indicating he transported the greyhound to the veterinary attention straight away which was later found to be false.
Following his questioning RQ Stewards slapped Lavis with two charges, outlined as follows:
Charge 1 – Pat Lavis breached GAR 106(1)(d) in that he failed to provide veterinary attention to the greyhound Shiraz when necessary after becoming aware the greyhound suffered an injury which was causing it pain.
Charge 2 – Pat Lavis breached GAR 86(d) in that he made a false statement to RQ Stewards in regards to the veterinary treatment provided to Shiraz.
Lavis pleaded not guilty but was ultimately found guilty as charged on both breaches. For his breach of GAR 106(1)(d) stewards suspended Lavis' trainers' licence for six months from April 4, 2016, to expire on October 4, 2016. For his contravention of GAR 86(d) RQ stewards imposed a $500 fine.
Max Hay fined for swab offence
Max Hay faced a Racing Queensland (RQ) inquiry last week after his greyhound Tayto returned a urine sample containing the prohibited substance desvenlafaxine, an active metabolite found in Pristiq which is used to treat depression in humans, when it competed at Albion Park on January 7, 2016.
Stewards charges Hay with a breach of GAR 83(2)(3) in that he presented Tayto to compete in an event when it was not free of any prohibited substance. He was subsequently found guilty as charged and was fined a total of $3,000, with Stewards also disqualifying Tayto from the event in question.
Bill and Travis Elson fined
Father and son trainers Bill and Travis Elson have been handed down fines by RQ Stewards after it was discovered during a kennel inspection on March 17, 2016, that the greyhound Lauryn's Best, which was under the name of Bill Elson, was not at his Churchable property.
Evidence provided at the inquiry revealed the greyhound had been in the care of Travis Elson from March 5 to March 17, without permission being sought from RQ.
Bill Elson was charged with a breach of GAR 105(1) which relates to a greyhound being kept at the registered address of its trainer at all times unless permission is first obtained by the controlling body.
He was found guilty and fined $1000.
Travis Elson was charged with a breach of GAR 105 (2) which relates to keeping a greyhound on your premises when you are not the trainer or owner unless permission has been granted.
He was also found guilty and fined $400.
Delorenzo fronts inquiry over Cobalt positive
South Australian trainer Michael Delorenzo faced an inquiry at the offices of Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) on April 4 after a urine sample taken from his greyhound Better Call Saul showed the presence of Cobalt in excess of the 100g/mL when it competed at Angle Park on September 9, 2015.
GRSA Stewards subsequently charged Delorenzo with a breach of GAR83, which relates to prohibited substances, with the sample taken from Better Call Saul showing the prohibited substance at a mass concentration of 115g/mL.
Despite pleading not guilty, Delorenzo was found guilty as charged, with Stewards adjourning the inquiry to consider an appropriate penalty.
A penalty was handed down on April 7, 2016, with Delorenzo now facing 21 months on the sidelines, commencing from midnight on April 13, 2016.
Better Call Saul was also disqualified from the race which he won on September 9, 2015, and the subsequent final in which he finished fifth on Monday September 14, 2016.
Brian Brown's penalty stayed
Brian Brown has had his disqualification period stayed pending the result of an appeal lodged with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).
Brown was disqualified for a period of two years, one of which was suspended pending no further rule breaches during that time, after he was found guilty of a breach of GAR 83(2)(3) by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board (RADB) on March 22, 2016.
The specifics of the charge related to Brown's greyhound, Shout Out Loud, after it returned a urine sample which contained the presence of the prohibited substances Oxycodone and Oxymorphone when it competed at The Meadows on November 7, 2015.
Brown will front a directions meeting now to appeal the penalty, with a directions hearing scheduled to take place on May 9, 2016.
The Shiraz case (above) epitomizes everything that is wrong with greyhound racing:
1. Negligent trainers and handlers
2. Dogs sustaining frequent injuries on the track
3. Lack of concern for the suffering of dogs
4. Unnecessary killing of dogs who have treatable injuries
5. Industry participants lying to investigators
6. Wholly inadequate penalties that fail to act as a deterrent to cruelty and allow delinquents to return to resuming their cruel ways.
Nobody should wonder why so many decent people want to see the end of this foul industry forever.
GoneAreTheDogs GR are weak. The $500 fine is probably less than it would have cost in vet bills to get the poor dog fixed. Ridiculous
Hi Katherine, how about talking to the people involved, getting their view as well, instead of printing what the Stewards have deemed. Especially anything involving cobalt. A 1.5 ml of B12 injection will give you a positive. And why do trainers give any of the B group vitamins anyway? To make sure they are prepared for their race at 100%. It is welfare. Before all this hoopla about cobalt I for one had no idea it was a part of B12. On top of that Racing codes are dealing with it without any evidence of performance enhancement. There is a big… Read more »
The Shiraz case (above) epitomizes everything that is wrong with greyhound racing:
1. Negligent trainers and handlers
2. Dogs sustaining frequent injuries on the track
3. Lack of concern for the suffering of dogs
4. Unnecessary killing of dogs who have treatable injuries
5. Industry participants lying to investigators
6. Wholly inadequate penalties that fail to act as a deterrent to cruelty and allow delinquents to return to resuming their cruel ways.
Nobody should wonder why so many decent people want to see the end of this foul industry forever.
GoneAreTheDogs GR are weak. The fine is probably less than it would have cost in vet bills to get the poor dog fixed. Ridiculous
Hi Katherine, how about talking to the people involved, getting their view as well, instead of printing what the Stewards have deemed. Especially anything involving cobalt. A 1.5 ml of B12 injection will give you a positive. And why do trainers give any of the B group vitamins anyway? To make sure they are prepared for their race at 100%. It is welfare. Before all this hoopla about cobalt I for one had no idea it was a part of B12. On top of that Racing codes are dealing with it without any evidence of performance enhancement. There is a big… Read more »