On 6 August 2024, the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT) considered a charge issued by Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) Stewards against licensed trainer-driver Ros Rolfe 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 Our Art Work after it won Race 5, the “Mallee Motorcycle Club Support S.C.R Pace”, at the Mildura harness racing meeting on 4 December 2023. Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) reported the sample contained arsenic in excess of the allowable threshold.
Ms Rolfe pleaded guilty to the charge before submissions on penalty were heard from Andrew Cusumano, on behalf of the HRV Stewards, and from Ms Rolfe.
Penalty
Ms Rolfe was fined $2000, with $1500 of that fine suspended for a period of 12 months.
The VRT also ordered that, under AHRR 195, Our Art Work be disqualified from Race 5 at Mildura on 4 December 2023 and that the placings be amended accordingly. Under AHRR 200(1) any prizemoney won by Our Art Work from the race is to be refunded to HRV.
VRT Panel: Judge Marilyn Harbison (Deputy Chairperson) and Danielle Hikri.
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)