On 20 June 2024, the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT) considered a charge issued by Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Stewards against licensed trainer-driver Michael Stanley 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 urine sample collected from the horse ‘Soho Lumine’ after it won Race 7, the ‘adam@lpmfinance.com.au Pace’, at the Maryborough harness racing meeting on 2 November 2023. Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) reported the sample contained arsenic in excess of the allowable threshold.
Mr Stanley pleaded guilty to the charge before submissions on penalty were heard from Andrew Cusumano, on behalf of the HRV Stewards, and from Mr Stanley.
Penalty
Mr Stanley was fined $3000, with $1500 of that fine suspended for a period of 12 months.
The VRT also ordered that, under AHRR 195, ‘Soho Lumine’ be disqualified from Race 7 at Maryborough on 2 November 2023 and that the placings be amended accordingly. Under AHRR 200(1) any prizemoney won by ‘Soho Lumine’ from the race is to be refunded to HRV.
VRT Panel: Justice Shane Marshall (Deputy Chairperson) and Josh Bornstein.
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)