HARNESS Racing New South Wales (HRNSW) Stewards conducted an inquiry on Friday July 7, 2017, into a number of matters regarding the presentation of the registered standardbred horse GUTS to Cowra Racecourse on Sunday, May 14, 2017, as well as items discovered during a search of trainer N Carroll’s motor vehicle and horse float. The horse GUTS and another horse DEN HELDER NZ were withdrawn from their respective races by order of Stewards.
Evidence was heard from trainer N Carroll, T Bootle who appeared as an advocate for the trainer, HRNSW Regulatory Veterinarian Dr M Wainscott and HRNSW Investigator N Ackland.
Evidence from the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory and Racing Analytical Service Limited certifying the substance Clenbutorol had been detected in blood and urines samples taken from GUTS on that day was considered as well as evidence recorded during the examination of the trainer’s vehicles.
HRNSW Stewards issued the following charge against N Carroll pursuant to Australian
Harness Racing Rule (AHRR) 190 (1), (2), (4) and (5) as follows:
(1) A horse shall be presented for a race free of prohibited substances.
(2) If a horse is presented for a race otherwise than in accordance with sub rule (1) the trainer of the horse is guilty of an offence….
(4) An offence under sub rule (2) or sub rule (3) is committed regardless of the circumstances in which the prohibited substance came to be present in or on the horse.
5) A horse is presented for a race during the period commencing at 8.00 a.m. on the day of the race for which the horse is nominated and ending at the time it is removed from the racecourse after the running of that race.
N Carroll pleaded guilty to having presented GUTS to the races following which a prohibited substance, Clenbutorol, was detected by two approved laboratories and was disqualified for a period of nine months to commence from June 22, 2017, the date upon which he was stood down.
In considering penalty Stewards were mindful of the following:
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The serious nature of this offence;
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N Carroll’s guilty plea;
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No prior prohibited substance offences;
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N Carroll’s licence history and other personal subjective facts.
Stewards also charged the trainer pursuant to Australian Harness Racing Rule (AHRR) 119C (1) and (2) as follows:
(1) A trainer shall not without the prior approval of the Stewards stable any horse trained by him in any location other than any registered training establishment of the trainer.
(2) A trainer who fails to comply with sub-rule (1) is guilty of an offence and in addition to any other penalty that may be imposed, the nomination of the horse concerned may not be accepted or if after acceptance, be rejected and the horse withdrawn from or disqualified from the race.
N Carroll pleaded guilty to having stabled at a location not his registered stable address on Saturday night May 13, 2017, without the permission of Stewards and was fined $ 500.
Stewards issued two further charges against the trainer pursuant to Australian Harness Racing Rule (AHRR) 192 (1), (3) and (4) as follows:
192. (1) No person, unless he has first obtained the permission of the Stewards, shall have in his possession either on a racecourse or in any motor vehicle or trailer being used for the purpose of travelling to or from a racecourse any prohibited substance or a syringe, needle or other instrument which could be used -
(a) to administer a prohibited substance to a horse; or
(b) to produce a prohibited substance in a horse;
(c) to administer any medication or substance to a horse.
(3) A person who fails to comply with sub rule (1) or with a term or condition imposed under sub rule (2) is guilty of an offence.
(4) For the purposes of sub rule (1) possession includes control of and right of access to the prohibited substance or syringe, needle or other instrument.
N Carroll pleaded guilty to having the prohibited substances Frusemide and Phenylbutazone in his vehicle at the Cowra racecourse on Sunday May 14, 2017, without the permission of Stewards and was fined $ 2500.
N Carroll also pleaded guilty to having syringes, needles and other instruments as described in parts (a), (b) and (c) of the rule, in his vehicle at the Cowra racecourse on Sunday May 14, 2017, without the permission of Stewards and was fined $ 1000.
Further matters relating to the presentation of the registered horse DEN HELDER NZ, trained by M Carroll, at Cowra on Sunday May 14, 2017, the nature of N Carroll’s evidence at various times during the Steward’s investigation, including his recant of certain evidence, and N Carroll’s apparent failure to initially comply with a direction to present all mobile phones in his control to Investigator N Ackland were adjourned to a date to be fixed pending trainer M Carroll’s attendance at an Inquiry and further forensic investigation of N Carroll’s mobile phone records.
N Carroll was advised of his right to appeal these decisions.
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 33 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by a Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
To arrange an interview or for further information please contact:
MICHAEL PRENTICE | INTEGRITY MANAGER
(02) 9722 6600 • mprentice@hrnsw.com.au
GRAHAM LOCH | CHAIRMAN OF STEWARDS
(02) 9722 6600 • gloch@hrnsw.com.au
