For immediate release
Date of issue 01 November 2018
IMA GINGER ROGERS INQUIRY- 30 OCTOBER 2018- STEVEN DAVIS
Panel- R Brown, A Crowther, G Griffin.
Office of Racing Integrity Stewards today inquired into reports from the analyst that Arsenic in excess of the prescribed allowable threshold had been detected in a urine sample taken from IMA GINGER ROGERS at the Launceston Pacing Club on 24th August 2018.
Stewards considered evidence tendered by trainer Mr Steve Davis as to his feeding and husbandry practices and from representatives of Racing Analytical Services Limited and the Racing Science Centre and from consultant veterinarian Dr Peter Horridge.
Mr Davis pleaded guilty to a charge pursuant to AHRR 190 (1), (2) and (4) which states “A horse shall be presented for a race free of prohibited substances”.
The particulars of the charge were that Mr Davis did present IMA GINGER ROGERS for racing at Launceston on 24th August 2018 when a urine sample taken from the horse was found to contain the prohibited substance Arsenic.
Stewards were mindful of a report produced by Melbourne University which showed that ingestion of CCA timber could lead to an elevated level of Arsenic in equine urine, and of notices published in September 2017 warning Tasmanian Harness Trainers of allowing horses access to CCA treated timber.
In determining penalty Stewards took into consideration Mr Davis’s guilty plea, his licence history, personal circumstances and the need that any penalty reflect the serious nature of prohibited substance offences.
Mr Davis was fined the sum of $3000 for the breach of the prohibited substance rule, of which $1500 was suspended for a period of two years on the condition that there are no further offences of this nature.
Acting under the provisions of AHRR 195 Stewards ordered that IMA GINGER ROGERS be disqualified from the subject race and the placings will be amended according
Roger Brown –CHAIRMAN.
