Trainer Fined Over Bungled Nomination Farce
Greyhounds Queensland Stewards today fined greyhound trainer, Renald Attard for nominating his greyhound Come Up Uno whilst supended. However no action was taken against the graders who drew the greyhound to compete despite the supsension, not once, not twice but on three seperate occassions.
The greyhound in question, Come Up Uno competed in a 5th grade 520 metre event at the Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club (BGRC) meeting at Albion Park on Monday 8th September 2008. In finishing 6th in that event, stewards queried Come Up Uno's commitment to chase in the home straight and after two post race veterinary inspections revealed no injury, Stewards charged Come Up Uno with failing to pursue the lure with due commitment.
As this was Come Up Uno's first offence, the greyhound was stood down from competing at Albion Park for 28 days and ordered to trial to the satisfaction of the stewards before nominating for any tracks.
As a result of the suspension, Come Up Uno was scratched from the Abion Park meeting on Thursday 11th September 2008, the fileds of which had been finalised before the supension came in to affect.
On Monday 15th October 2008 Come Up Uno trialled before the stewards over 520m and trailled well enough for stewards to give him the all clear to race.
However under the Queensland Greyhound Racing Rules, the greyhound was still required to stand down from racing at Albion Park for the 28 day period. As the offence occured on the 8th September 2008, this meant Come Up Uno would be eligible to race again at Albion Park, on Tuesday 7th October 2008.
Trainer Renald Attard nominated Come Up Uno for the Albion Park race meeting on Wednesday 1st October 2008 despite the fact the greyhounds 28 day suspension had not finished. Unbeleivably, the Greyhounds Queensland graders drew the dog to race and Come Up Uno competed in Heat 1 of the Bid Dog Pet Foods 5th grade and finished second, qualifying as 1st reserve for the final to be held on Wednesday 8th October 2008.
There was no mention of Come Up Uno's suspension in the stewards report.
In the meantime, trainer Renal Attard had nominated Come Up Uno for a 4/5th grade 600m heat and final event at Albion Park, with the heats to be run on Monday 6th October 2008. And despite the fact the race was to occur within the 28 day suspension period, graders again drew the dog to race, drawing box 8 in race 9, the second of the two 600m heats.
This time however, stewards became aware of the error, but incredibly they only became aware of the error just as the greyhounds were being placed in the boxes for the race. As a result of the fiasco the race was delayed for three minutes and Come Up Uno was sent back to the kennels without racing with the whole farce playing out to a huge audience on Sky Channel.
The trainer was advised an inquiry would be opened in to his nomination of Come Up Uno.
Come Up Uno was however still permitted to race in the Big Dog Pet Foods Final on Wednesday 8th October 2008, gaining a run as reserve; despite the fact he had qualified for the final while under suspension. Come Up Uno subsequently finished 4th in the event.
Greyhounds Queensland Stewards yesterday convened an the inquiry in relation to the nomination of the greyhound Come Up Uno with particular reference to his nomination for the event of Wednesday 1st October 2008 whilst still under supsension.
Stewards directed Trainer Mr. Renald Attard of Fairney Views to appear but did not call on the grader to appear.
Evidence was taken from Mr. Attard and he was subsquently charged under rule GAR 86 (o) which states;
A person (including an official) shall be guilty of an offence if the person-
(o) has, in relation to a greyhound or greyhound racing, done a thing, or omitted to do a thing, which, in the opinion of the Stewards or the Controlling Body, as the case may be, is negligent, dishonest, corrupt, fraudulent or improper, or constitutes misconduct
Despite pleading not guilty to the charge Mr Attard was found guilty and fined $100. Come Up Uno was disqualified from Race 6 (placed 3rd) at the Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club meeting on the 1st of October 2008 and subsequently from the final Race 8 (placed 4th) at the Brisbane Greyhound Racing Club meeting on the 8th October 2008 and stewards directed any prizemoney be returned.
There is no mention of anay action being taken against the grader despite drawing the greyhound in fields on three seperate occassions whilst ineligible.