Stewards wrap: Victorian trainer disqualified for welfare issue
A SWAN Hill greyhound trainer has been found guilty of two rule breaches relating to animal welfare for which he has been disqualified and fined.
Norman Smith recently fronted a Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board (RADB) inquiry charged with a breach of GAR 106 (1)(d) and GAR 106 (2).
The first charge was for failing to provide the greyhound ‘Harry' with veterinary attention when necessary between August 6 and 9, 2016.
The second charge was for failing to exercise reasonable care to prevent a greyhound from being subjected to unnecessary pain and suffering.
Smith pleaded guilty to the charges.
At the inquiry, it was heard that on August 6, 2016, Harry was involved in a fight with another greyhound and sustained substantial wounds to his neck. It was alleged that Smith noticed the wounds but did not seek veterinary treatment, instead he applied an unbranded ointment cream to the injury, at the time not believing the greyhound needed stitching.
The wounds later became infected as a result of bedding being stuck to them.
On August 9, 2016, animal welfare inspectors from GRV conducted a kennel inspection at Smith's property and observed that Harry had a large, deep wound on the left side of his neck and a smaller wound on the right side.
The inspectors noted that Harry was in pain and distress and reluctant to move. They asked Smith to seek immediate veterinary treatment for Harry.
On August 9, Harry was seen by a vet at the Swan Hill vet clinic and received medication for the wounds which as a result healed up, leaving only minimal scarring.
Smith was remorseful for his actions and based upon his long unblemished record and guilty plea, the RADB handed don a six-month disqualification for the second charge, with three months suspended pending no further breach of GAR 106 in the next 12 months. He was also fined $250 for the first charge.
Fine for prohibited substance
A NEW South Wales greyhound trainer has been fined by Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) stewards after his greyhound returned a positive urine sample to Pentobarbitone.
A category one prohibited substance, Pentobarbitone is a narcotic and sedative barbiturate drug which was detected in a urine sample taken from the greyhound Lauren Leigh when it competed at Tweed Heads on November 12, 2015.
The trainer in question, Julius Perrett, pleaded not guilty to the charge. Stewards considered whether the positive swab could have been the result of contamination or whether it had been purposefully administered.
Throughout the inquiry, stewards deduced that the likely source of the positive swab was due to contamination via the meat the greyhound is fed.
Stewards found Perrett guilty of a breach of GAR 83(2) and were mindful of previous positive swabs to heptaminol in samples taken from his greyhounds on June 6 and July 9, 2016.
Stewards determined to impose a fine of $3,000 with $1,500 suspended for 12 months pending no further breaches of the prohibited substances rule.
The greyhound was also disqualified from the event in question.
O'Brien fined
PROMINENT trainer Chris O'Brien has been fined by GRNSW stewards after being found guilty of a breach of the prohibited substances rule, GAR 83(2).
The charge was laid after O'Brien's greyhound, Bulkender, returned a positive urine sample to meloxicam when presented to race at Nowra on October 3, 2016.
O'Brien entered a plea of not guilty. O'Brien gave evidence that his veterinarian had advised him of a sufficient five-day withholding period after giving the greyhound a 7.5mg tablet of Mobic.
O'Brien supplied a letter from the veterinarian to GRNSW which stated he had erred in providing the wrong advice to the participant.
Despite this evidence, stewards found O'Brien guilty as charged and fined him $750.
Brunton suspended
AMANDA Brunton has been suspended by GRNSW stewards after being found guilty of a breach of the prohibited substances rule.
Brunton presented her greyhound Targaryen to race at Dapto on December 1, 2016, with a urine sample detecting the presence of the prohibited substance cobalt above the allowed threshold.
Brunton entered an early guilty plea, with stewards considering the low level of the substance recorded and her contribution to the industry including her involvement with the GBOTA.
Stewards imposed an eight-week suspension and disqualified Targaryen from the event in question.
Sharpe suspended
WILLIAM Sharpe was the subject of a recent GRNSW stewards inquiry after his greyhound Range Hawke returned a positive urine sample to cobalt when competing in a clearance trial at Grafton on December 19, 2016.
Sharpe entered an early guilty plea to the charge, with stewards handing down a 15-week suspension after considering the mitigating factors of the case.
Sharpe has lodged an appeal of this decision.
Andrews suspended
ROBERT Andrews has been handed down a 12-week suspension by GRNSW stewards after being found guilty of breaching GAR 83(2).
The charge was in relation to the greyhound Him The Master which returned a positive urine sample to the prohibited substance cobalt, above the allowed threshold, when competing at Casino on December 16, 2016.
Fine for arsenic
SUNSHINE State trainer Trent Thorley recently fronted a Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) inquiry into the findings of the prohibited substance arsenic in a urine sample taken from his greyhound War Rig prior to competing at Rockhampton on March 1, 2017.
Thorley was charged with a breach of GAR 83(2)(a) to which he pleaded guilty. Stewards considered the circumstances of the case before handing down a penalty, including that he had been a trainer for 17 years with a clean record for the past 16 years.
The QRIC fined Thorley $1,500 and disqualified the greyhound from the event in question.
Leary fined
BEVERLEY Leary was recently fined by QRIC stewards after being found guilty of breaching the prohibited substances rule.
The charge was laid after Leary's greyhound Shakey Randle returned a positive urine sample to Levamisole when competing at Ipswich on January 13, 2017.
Leary pleaded guilty to the charge, her first prohibited substance rule breach, and was fined $1,500.
Price suspended and fined
GREYHOUND Racing SA (GRSA) stewards recently finalised an inquiry into two post race urine samples taken from the greyhound Flying Flutter, trained by Tracie Price.
The first sample was taken when Flying Flutter won at Mount Gambier on January 1, 2017, with the second when it won at Mount Gambier on Sunday January 22, 2017.
On both occasions, the prohibited substance detected was phenobarbitone.
Price was charged with two breaches under GAR 83(2) to which he pleaded guilty.
Price was suspended for two months and issued a fine of $5,000.
Inquiry into Rosco Fields
OWNER attendant Wayne Verrall has been fined and disqualified by GRSA stewards after being found guilty of three rule breaches relating to the bonafides of the ownership and training of the greyhound Rosco Fields.
He was charged with three rule breaches under GAR 86(d), GAR 86(e) and GAR 86(ah).
The first charge was in relation to making a false or misleading statement throughout an inquiry or by falsifying a document in connection with greyhound racing or the registration of a greyhound. In this case, Verrall was found to have made misleading statements during the course of the inquiry.
The second charge was in relation to refusing to give evidence at an inquiry or produce a document in relation to an investigation or inquiry. In this case, Verrall refused to produce mobile phone records and his mobile phone at an inquiry.
The third charge was in relation to associating with a disqualified person for the purposed of greyhound racing. Despite pleading not guilty to this charge, Verrall was found to have associated with a currently disqualified person on multiple occasions between February 13 and May 11, 2017.
For the first two charges, Verrall was fined $400 each. On the third charge he was disqualified for three months.