Stewards wrap: Trainer disqualified over poor living conditions
DOUGLAS Blake recently faced the Victorian Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board for a breach of GAR 106 (1)(c) and LR 42.1.
The charges stemmed from a kennel inspection by Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) Animal Welfare Compliance Officer Arthur Evans on July 21, 2015.
Evans gave evidence at the hearing that on the date of the inspection he observed a number of greyhounds kennelled in a disused dog trailer which offered limited room with no bedding or water.
At the time, Blake advised Evans that he had used the trailer as a kennel for eight greyhounds for ‘about two days'.
Evans presented the board with video footage, photographs and voice recordings, with the board ruling that keeping greyhounds in the trailer, said to have been unclean and unsanitary, could be detrimental to their health.
Blake was subsequently found guilty of breaching GAR 106 (1)(c) and LR 42.1, which relate to keeping greyhounds kennelled in a manner which is dangerous to their health and/or safety.
Blake was subsequently fined $500 and was slapped with a four month disqualification, to commence on June 19, 2016.
Alan Inglis faces RADB for prohibited substance
Alan Inglis has also faced the RADB recently charged with a breach of GAR 83(2)(3) which relates to prohibited substances.
The specifics of the charge was that Inglis presented his greyhound Blue Blitz to race at The Meadows on January 2, 2016, with a post-race urine sample indicating the presence of Morphine and Codeine.
Inglis pleaded guilty as charged and made the submission that the swab irregularity could have resulted from the greyhound consuming contaminated meat.
Upon considering the evidence, the board handed down a six month disqualification, two months of which have been suspended for 12 months pending no further breaches of GAR 83 within the one year period.
The disqualification commenced on June 10, 2016, with Blue Blitz also disqualified from the event in question.
Firebird Tess' swab lands Byron in front of RADB
Yvonne Byron has fronted the RADB following her greyhound Firebird Tess returning a positive pre-race urine sample to the prohibited substance Dehydronorketamine when it competed at Sandown on January 24, 2016.
Byron was charged with a breach of GAR 83 (2)(3) to which she pleaded guilty, giving evidence that the swab could have been caused by feeding knackery meat to the greyhound.
Byron tendered extensive character references to the board for consideration, which highlighted her industry contribution and personal good nature including her close work with the Sandown Club in regards to the Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) program.
Upon considering the evidence, the RADB imposed a nine month disqualification, seven months of which were suspended for 12 months provided no further rule breaches during that period.
Byron's disqualification commenced on June 22, 2016, with Bryon permitted to make application to GRV to condition her disqualification to enable her to attend the Sandown track for the purpose of presenting GAP greyhounds to the general public.
Peter Love guilty of prohibited substance breach
Strathfieldsaye trainer Peter Love has faced the RADB charged with a breach of GAR 83 (2)(3) after his greyhound Baltic Valhalla returned a post-race urine sample which showed the presence of the prohibited substance Theobromine.
Love pleaded guilty to the charge, submitting to the board that Theobromine, a metabolite of caffeine, may have been detected in the sample as a result of the greyhound ingesting a Sustain product containing caffeine.
Love stated that he normally gives his greyhounds a small amount of ‘Sustain Sports Chocolate' 48 hours prior to racing and that he was unaware that the product posed a risk of causing a positive swab.
Considering the evidence, the board moved to disqualify Love for six months, four months of which were suspended for 12 months provided there are no further breaches of the rules within that period.
Love's disqualification will commence on June 23, 2016, while Baltic Valhalla was also disqualified from the event in question.
WA trained disqualified for misleading officials
Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) Stewards recently held an inquiry into a report received from Chief Steward Carlos Martins which followed an extensive investigation concerning a greyhound training facility off Goulden Road in Busselton which had been placed under surveillance by stewards.
The specifics of the case were that a starting box was initially located at a previously unknown training facility which was later discovered at another known training property, with this leading stewards to question trainer Terrance Bolton.
Bolton pleaded guilty to two charges outline below:
Charge 1 – A breach of GAR 86 (d) in that Bolton made a misleading statement to RWWA Stewards stating that the starting box as found at the known training facility was from a number of locations that did not include his training facility off Goulden Road in Busselton.
Charge 2 – A breach of GAR 86 (o) in that Bolton failed to disclose to stewards the establishment of the training facility he constructed off Goulden Road in Busselton which in the opinion of stewards was improper.
Bolton was disqualified for a period of eighteen months in relation to Charge 1, and twelve months in relation to charge 2.
Stewards directed that six months of the disqualification in relation to the second charge was to be served concurrently, therefore making his total period of disqualification to be served two years.
Troy Vella pleads guilty to prohibited substance charge
NSW trainer Troy Vella was recently handed down a penalty by Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) Stewards after he entered an early guilty plea to a breach of the prohibited substance rule GAR 83 (2).
The specifics of the case were that Vella's greyhound, Cosmic Swiper, returned a urine sample which indicated the presence of the prohibited substance 5beta-androstane-3aplha, 17beta-diol when it competed at Richmond on January 30, 2016.
Stewards considered all of the evidence tendered and imposed a 27 week disqualification, while Cosmic Swiper was also disqualified from the event in question.
Wow. Clean and honest “sport” huh?
Except for the first, which was dealt with appropriately, the rest pretty low grade stuff.
About as low grade as you, I’m guessing.