On 27 January 2022, the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT) considered a charge issued by Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Stewards against licensed trainer-driver Leroy O’Brien under Australian Harness Racing Rule (AHRR) 190(1).
AHRR 190(1) reads as follows:
A horse shall be presented for a race free of prohibited substances.
The charge related to a blood sample collected from the horse ‘Im Sir Blake’ prior to it competing in Race 4, the ‘Alabar Vicbred Super Sires (4YO Entires and Geldings)(1st Heat)’, at the Bendigo harness racing meeting on 10 December 2020. Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) reported the sample contained cobalt in excess of the allowable threshold.
Mr O’Brien pleaded guilty to the charge before submissions on penalty were heard from the HRV Stewards and Mr O’Brien.
Penalty
Charge 1 - AHRR 190(1) – 12-month suspension of all licenses, with 3 months of that penalty to be suspended for a period of 12 months. The suspension was deemed to commence immediately.
The VRT also ordered that, under AHRR 195, ‘Im Sir Blake’ be disqualified from Race 4 at Bendigo on 10 December 2020 and that the placings be amended accordingly.
VRT Panel: Judge Graeme Hicks (Chairman) and Maree Payne
The written decisions of the VRT can be found here.
(Please note that VRT Decisions will generally be published within 7-10 days of the date of hearing)