Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Stewards have filed an application with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to review a penalty imposed by the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT) on 18 February 2022 against licensed trainer-driver Gary Donaldson. The Stewards have sought a review of the following penalty imposed by the VRT on charge 1:

Charge 1 – 4-month suspension of his trainers license, wholly suspended for a period of 12 months.

Charge 1 was issued to Mr Donaldson under Australian Harness Racing Rule (AHRR) 190(1) for presenting ‘Liberland’ on 17 September 2020 to race not free of a prohibited substance, being cobalt at a concentration in excess of the threshold.

The details of the VRT’s decision can be viewed here.

The matter is with VCAT and a hearing will be scheduled on a date to be determined.