Wheeler removes his dogs after Nicole Davis returns positive swab

SUPERSTAR sprinter will be scratched from this Sunday's Group 2 Horsham Cup final as owner removes all of his greyhounds from trainer Nicole Davis' property after her license was suspended by Greyhound on Wednesday.



Davis' suspension comes after one of her other dogs owned by Wheeler, Graff Bale, returned a positive swab sample to the prohibited substance at The Meadows on April 29, 2015.



While the reserve portion of the sample is yet to be tested, GRV Chairman Ray Gunston spoke out on the findings on Thursday afternoon.

“It is appalling that another preliminary swab has come back with an irregular result for amphetamine,” Gunston said.

“The rigorous swabbing and testing procedures GRV undertake have again been able to identify an irregularity which now needs to be the subject of further testing.

“We test out-of-competition, pre-race and post-race and we also freeze and store samples. Anyone wanting to gain an unfair advantage will be caught.”

Wheeler, the owner of all the greyhounds involved in the saga, spoke to Australian Racing Greyhound on Thursday night, confirming his dogs will all be moved off the property and will go to other trainers to continue their careers.



“If I wanted to keep racing my dogs they had to be shifted, so all of the greyhounds on Nicole Davis' property will be moved to my various other trainers in Victoria,” Wheeler said.



Wheeler has made the decision to scratch all of his greyhounds nominated to race under Davis' name, including dual winner Dyna Villa which will now miss the Horsham Cup, a race the greyhound is second favourite for.



Dyna Villa will now head to leading Victorian mentor , who also puts the polish on Wheeler's freakish speedster, . 



“It was a mutual agreement [between Wheeler and GRV] to scratch the dogs,” Wheeler revealed.



“I didn't think it was fair on the trainer, the punter or the dog to move kennels and then have to race on such short notice. 



“The shift in kennels can take a fair bit of getting used to so it would be unfair for the trainer to have that responsibility and unfair for the punter to take the risk.”

The news of Davis' positive swab hits barely a month after Jenny Hunt, who was formerly training the large team of greyhounds Davis took over on the same property, received an 18 month disqualification when one of her greyhounds returned a positive sample to amphetamine and methamphetamine, commonly known as ice.

Hunt herself took over the large training operation at Lara after her father-in-law, legendary trainer , was disqualified for a number of prohibited substance charges in 2014.

Wheeler believes the positive swabs were not a deliberate attempt by the trainer to enhance the performance of the greyhounds.



“I don't think any of it has been purposely done,” he said.

“I think its a contamination issue or a situation where the kennel has been nobbled — either way there is a crack in the system at the training establishment.



“We have been looking at the whole situation very seriously, even though a lot of people think we haven't been.

“Since Jenny [Hunt] got the first positive we had been in contact with a company to look at drug testing the employees working on the property because we thought it might have been a contamination issue.”

Wheeler, whose greyhounds have won 10 Group races and over $800,000 in prize money so far in 2015, also confirmed he would consider selling his stock to China for the right offer.



“I went to China and had a look around at their set up. The way things are going I said to them that if anyone offered me the right money that I would sell it all, including the stud dogs,” he said.



“I have had one bloke call me about it, but so far nothing has happened.”




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DogOracle
DogOracle
8 years ago

Was curious why she didnt make Bendigo the other day and had to scratch her dogs.

Its obvious now…

Her Meth dealer must of run out and she had no supplies left…

hoads15
hoads15
8 years ago

offtrackjock not before time, all trainers linked to Graeme bate.

offtrackjock
offtrackjock
8 years ago

hoads15 True, there is another important link though. Allegedly someone from down that way has or had a substance abuse problem.

Grannymay69
Grannymay69
8 years ago

hoads15 offtrackjock But all are linked to Wheeler too. And its taken three trainers for Wheeler to move the dogs says something.

hoads15
hoads15
8 years ago

Grannymay69 offtrackjock he has dogs with Deb Coleman who is rob camalleri partner who’s also done time, will she be next?

offtrackjock
offtrackjock
8 years ago

Grannymay69 hoads15 was interesting that he said looking into drug testing staff, they’re not his staff, or are they?

offtrackjock
offtrackjock
8 years ago

hoads15 Grannymay69 Rob got done with the hysone tabs and i don’t think they have a relative thats an ice addict.

Grannymay69
Grannymay69
8 years ago

offtrackjock hoads15 Why did the Stewart just handball a licence to the next person in line?? Maybe should have closed the joint instead?

offtrackjock
offtrackjock
8 years ago

Grannymay69 hoads15 Good Question!

hoads15
hoads15
8 years ago

Grannymay69 offtrackjock correct ! Wouldn’t be surprised if G Bate is lurking over the fence with instructions

DH19
DH19
8 years ago

Paul Wheeler must really love his greyhounds, considering he will sell them off to China, a place that has zero credentials in animal welfare.

Mwk
Mwk
8 years ago

Oh my god blame the workers for Christ sake..what a bloody cop out….now I’ve heard it all.

DogOracle
DogOracle
8 years ago

Was curious why she didnt make Bendigo the other day and had to scratch her dogs.

Its obvious now…

Her Meth dealer must of run out and she had no supplies left…

hoads15
hoads15
8 years ago

offtrackjock not before time, all trainers linked to Graeme bate.

offtrackjock
offtrackjock
8 years ago

hoads15 True, there is another important link though. Allegedly someone from down that way has or had a substance abuse problem.

Grannymay69
Grannymay69
8 years ago

hoads15 offtrackjock But all are linked to Wheeler too. And its taken three trainers for Wheeler to move the dogs says something.

hoads15
hoads15
8 years ago

Grannymay69 offtrackjock he has dogs with Deb Coleman who is rob camalleri partner who’s also done time, will she be next?

offtrackjock
offtrackjock
8 years ago

Grannymay69 hoads15 was interesting that he said looking into drug testing staff, they’re not his staff, or are they?

offtrackjock
offtrackjock
8 years ago

hoads15 Grannymay69 Rob got done with the hysone tabs and i don’t think they have a relative thats an ice addict.

Grannymay69
Grannymay69
8 years ago

offtrackjock hoads15 Why did the Stewart just handball a licence to the next person in line?? Maybe should have closed the joint instead?

offtrackjock
offtrackjock
8 years ago

Grannymay69 hoads15 Good Question!

hoads15
hoads15
8 years ago

Grannymay69 offtrackjock correct ! Wouldn’t be surprised if G Bate is lurking over the fence with instructions

burra man
burra man
8 years ago

@hoads15 offtrackjock Cant help having a good laugh wheeler is trying to make people think he is doing the world a favour by moving his dogs.He is doing no one a favour because in vic now no dogs can be trained from that property while the owner or trainer is suspended.The fact is he has to move them or they wont be permitted to race.But with so much heat on his trainers he trying to look good .I still cant understand why when he knew hunt was positive to ice back in january he still kept sending dogs to her .Most… Read more »

burra man
burra man
8 years ago

@hoads15   Dont be surprised because you are spot on that is exactly what is happening.He is lurking closer than people think .He states he never wants to train again but it is a joke because he has never stopped training them.

burra man
burra man
8 years ago

they must be running out of names to put down as trainers anyone with ounce of decency and intelligence wouldnt want anything to do with hunt davis or bate 

burra man
burra man
8 years ago

@offtrackjock  mate there is more than one of them down there with a substance abuse problem.

burra man
burra man
8 years ago

@Grannymay69   Wheeler should be held accountable also because he knew back in january that hunt was going to be rubbed out but still kept supplying the family with dogs.

burra man
burra man
8 years ago

DogOracle Her meth dealer might not have had any supplies left with so many dogs to share it with they might be cutting dogs supply down so they can use it themselves.If there is any justice in this world the police should be brought in and charge them with possession of ice and speed.

burra man
burra man
8 years ago

With a bit of luck wheeler will get a buyer in china and sell up then the game will become more honest because i doubt anyone else would give dogs to bate,hunt or davis and at the moment he seems to be the only idiot that is giving them dogs 

DH19
DH19
8 years ago

Paul Wheeler must really love his greyhounds, considering he will sell them off to China, a place that has zero credentials in animal welfare.

Mwk
Mwk
8 years ago

Oh my god blame the workers for Christ sake..what a bloody cop out….now I’ve heard it all.

burra man
burra man
8 years ago

DH19 He couldnt give a stuff about his dogs all he ever sees is 13786$ signs .If he cared about the dogs he wouldnt have kept sending dogs to the druggies like hunt and davis and bate.

burra man
burra man
8 years ago

Mwk It is easier for wheeler to blame someone else because he has shown himself to be either dumb or crazy or crooked or all of them because anyone with any intelligence or decency wouldnt keep sending dogs too anyone that has been found guilty of giving a dog ice.Most people wouldnt want their dogs with anyone like bate hunt and davis when they have all turned  out to be drug cheats.

Recluse 60
Recluse 60
8 years ago

If Mr Wheeler is so concerned and quote “I think its a contamination issue or a situation where the kennel has been nobbled — either way there is a crack in the system at the training establishment” he has the money to set up CCTV at the kennels and also if he thinks everyone connected to him is innocent then ask for a Police investigation its not difficult, so why hasn’t he? The sooner he gets out of the business the better it will be as he is only threatening to sell his dogs to China hoping that the authorities will… Read more »

burra man
burra man
8 years ago

The grv have stripped g bate of his hall of fame status and i noticed last time i was at geelong that the centre track there was named the g bate track but now the sign saying it was g bate track has now been taken down so he has been stripped of that also.Doesnt really matter because he is still training dogs in 3 different peoples names.I agree it is extremely strange that wheeler hasnt called in the police if he thinks the dogs have been nobbled.Maybe the police might find something that wheeler doesnt really want found.Lets hope… Read more »