Trainer stood down – Mr Shaun Simiana

ON Friday 29 July 2016, Harness Racing New South Wales (HRNSW) Stewards, acting under the provisions of Australian Harness Racing Rule 183, suspended the Trainer and Driver licences of Mr Shaun Simiana after receiving advice from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Racing Laboratory (ARFL) that Peptide VNFYAWK had been detected in the Out Of Competition blood sample taken from FRANCO TIAGO NZ at the registered training establishment of Mr Simiana on Sunday 17 April 2016.

Peptide VNFYAWK is known to be a highly specific fragment of recombinant human erythropoietin or darbepoetin alpha or methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta or recombinant human EPO-Fc.

Mr Simiana was provided with an opportunity to make submissions to HRNSW as to why the provisions of AHRR 183 and AHRR 183A should not be imposed by 4pm on Friday, 29 July 2016. Submissions were received.

Acting under the provisions of Rule 183A, it was also determined that FRANCO TIAGO NZ, the horse subject of the certificate, shall not be nominated or compete in any race until the outcome of an inquiry or investigation.

In making these decisions, HRNSW took into account that AHRR 191 (1) provides that a single certificate of analysis by an approved laboratory shall constitute prima facie evidence of the presence of a prohibited substance.

Stewards took into account that the approved laboratory Racing Analytical Services Limited (RASL) did not detect the substance in another portion of the same blood sample. However, given the nature of the substance and that the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory (ARFL) had also detected the presence of an EPO substance in the initial screen, HRNSW considered that interests relating to the integrity of the industry, and public confidence in the industry, required that it impose the suspension pending the outcome of further analytical testing and investigation by HRNSW.

Mr Simiana has not been charged with any breach of the Rules, and has been advised of his rights of appeal against the imposition of Rule 183.

HRNSW Stewards have commenced an investigation into this sample result and an Inquiry will be scheduled in due course.

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 an industry-appointed Board of Directors and is independent of Government.