Weekly stewards wrap: more fines and disqualifications issued
VICTORIAN trainer Steve Nagy faced the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board last Tuesday after his greyhound, Roseline, returned a urine sample which showed the presence of prohibited substance 6 alpha – Hydroxystanozolol taken at the Sale meeting on December 6, 2015.
Nagy had been charged with two rule breaches by Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) Stewards, the first of which was GAR 83 (2)(3), which relates to presenting a greyhound to race free of a prohibited substance, with the second charge for a breach of GAR 83 (1A), which relates to administering a prohibited substance.
The substance in question, Stanozolol, is a category four prohibited substance and is an anabolic steroid which increases muscle mass, endurance and alters the behaviours of greyhounds.
At the hearing, Nagy pleaded guilty to both charges and gave evidence that he had administered the drug Stanozolol to the greyhound six weeks before the run to assist with travel sickness, with the belief that the withholding period was two weeks.
The RADB found Nagy guilty on both charges and disqualified him for a period of three years, 12 months of which was suspended pending no further breaches of GAR 83 in the 12 months following the initial two year operative period of disqualification, which is set to commence on June 2, 2016.
RADB reserves decision on Sweet It Is
After six hearings, the RADB has suspended its decision on a penalty for trainer Braden Finn.
Finn was slapped with a breach of GAR 83(2)(3) after his champion greyhound Sweet It Is returned a urine sample which showed the presence of the prohibited substance Benzoylecgoine after she won the Victorian Distance Championship on August 8, 2015.
Finn was represented by Adrian Anderson Barrister instructed by Patrick Dwyer Solicitor, while Jonathon Davies QC instructed by Nafsika Sahinidis Principal Solicitor GRV represented the Stewards Panel at the latest hearing, with Finn pleading not guilty to the charge.
After hearing all evidence and closing submissions from both parties, the RADB reserved its decision.
Keith Waddington fined
Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) have announced its penalty against trainer Keith Waddington, who was found guilty of a breach of GAR 83(2), which relates to prohibited substances.
The specifics of the case were that Waddington's greyhound Big Mistake returned a urine sample which showed the presence of the prohibited substances morphine, codeine and norcodeine when it competed at Richmond on November 25, 2015.
Waddington entered an early guilty plea which ensured a 25% discount on the penalty, whilst making the submission that the source of the substances was from Traditional Homestead Seed & Grain bread, which was confirmed by the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory, with the bread likely to have contained poppy seeds.
Upon considering the evidence, GRNSW Stewards determined the appropriate penalty was a $500 fine, with the greyhound also disqualified from the event in question.
Leighton Winter disqualified
Leighton Winter has been disqualified by GRNSW Stewards after entering an early guilty plea for a breach of GAR 83(2) after his greyhound Total Luck returned a urine sample which showed the presence of category five prohibited substance Meloxicam when it raced at Dubbo on January 1, 2016.
With the starting point for the determination of penalty in regards to a category five substance being 12 weeks disqualification, Stewards imposed a 10 week disqualification.
Taken into account was Winter's early guilty plea which resulted in a 25% discount on penalty, whilst it was also noted that it was his first offence since taking out his trainer's licence in 1979.
Total Luck was also disqualified from the race in question, with the official placings amended accordingly.
Lexia Isaac's penalty reduced upon appeal
Leading WA trainer Lexia Isaac has had her disqualification penalty, imposed by Greyhound Racing SA (GRSA) Stewards reduced upon appeal.
Isaac was initially found guilty of two breaches of GAR 83 after her greyhound Jamaica The Fun returned urine samples which showed the presence of the prohibited substance Cobalt in excess of 100 nanograms per millilitre when it competed in a heat and final of the Group 3 SA Oaks at Angle Park in September 2015.
Isaac had pleaded guilty to both charges and was slapped with two 18 month disqualification periods to be served concurrently.
Feeling this was excessive, Issac appealed the sentence which was later reduced to eight months, having commenced on March 13, 2016, while she was also fined $2,500 for each offence.