On 13 June 2024, the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT) considered a charge issued by Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Stewards against licensed trainer-driver Reece Moore 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 ‘Pet Kitty’ after it won Race 3, the ‘The Gateway Pace Final’, at the Mildura harness racing meeting on 9 January 2024. Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) reported the sample contained arsenic in excess of the allowable threshold.
Mr Moore pleaded guilty to the charge before submissions on penalty were heard from Andrew Cusumano, on behalf of the HRV Stewards, and from Mr Moore.
Penalty
Mr Moore was fined $2500, with $2000 of that fine suspended for a period of 12 months.
The VRT also ordered that, under AHRR 195, ‘Pet Kitty’ be disqualified from Race 3 at Mildura on 9 January 2024 and that the placings be amended accordingly. Under AHRR 200(1) any prizemoney won by ‘Pet Kitty’ from the race is to be refunded to HRV.
VRT Panel: Justice Shane Marshall (Deputy Chairperson) and Robert Abrahams.
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)