Fined ... trainer Rob Heathcote is $5000 out of pocket. Photo: Paul Harris
Following war being declared on 6am bandits in and around Melbourne, punters are confused about penalties given to offenders Australia-wide.
Early breakfasts, with drench and needle, are fashionable in the south, and raids by the stewards' hit squad, with Elliott Ness-style strike power, have been producing headlines.
Certainly it has highlighted not only illegal substances, performance enhancers or performance restorers, but the supposed benefits of administering as close to a race as possible. Trainers are constantly riding the fine line of therapeutics to keep a horse fit and healthy to race on four fragile legs, powered by a heart but with breathing and bleeding equipment that malfunctions.
"Centrifugal forces generated as a horse leans into a corner at full gallop can result in loads of up to 1000psi [pounds per square inch] being carried by cannon bones and lower-limb joints," John Kohnke and Ruth Davis wrote in Health Care and Common Problems of Horses.
With many illegal substances, it can be dosage - what exceeds the accepted reading as defined by the rules of racing.
Rob Heathcote, one of Australia's leading trainers, was fined $5000 by Queensland stewards early this week following an inquiry into his charge, Slick Image, showing a reading to anti-inflammatory drug hydrocortisone over the threshold after winning at the Sunshine Coast in September. Slick Image was disqualified.
In Perth last Saturday, two Kingston Town Classic starters, Chester Road and Maschino, were treated on race morning, discovered because they were under official guard or observation from 5am. '''It was established that Chester Road received Gastrozol paste at approximately 5.30am this morning, and Maschino Electrovite paste at approximately 7.30am," stewards reported.
Gastrozol is an ulcer treatment containing an ingredient that is "excepted" from the rules as a prohibited substance, and Electrovite, a vitamin and mineral treatment, is not prohibited.
Blood tests were "within the normal parameters". Stewards also found a syringe used to administer Electrovite to Maschino, and it will undergo analysis.
Rule 178C (2) states that no person without the permission of stewards may administer or cause to be administered any medication to a horse on race day before such a horse running in a race.
Stewards were obviously satisfied no "go fast" was applied to the Perth pair. Chester Road finished eighth and Maschino 10th. Trainers Adam Durrant (Chester Road) and Graham Yuill (Maschino) will attend an inquiry at a date to be fixed.
The Queensland and WA cases received a mixed reaction on the internet, as did the $10,000 fine handed down to Ricky Maund by Racing Victoria stewards.
Maund was found guilty of breaching the race-day treatment rule.
"The particulars of the charge were that on the morning of 10 November, 2012, prior to the Flemington meeting in which it was engaged, Timely Truce was treated with an unknown medication by Maund by way of an injection," stewards reported.
Assessing the penalty, they "noted the penalties handed down in two other race-day administration cases completed since the recent spring racing carnival''.
"Stewards further noted that the case involving trainer Robert Smerdon set a new standard for penalising these types of offences, noting that prior breaches of similar rules had attracted only minimal fines that were no longer considered a deterrent."
To which Watto on Racenet wrote: "Maund got $10K and didn't even get to the races. Albeit they were in two different jurisdictions; for $5K, Heathcote's actions influenced the outcome of a race plus altered betting outcomes plus owners' disappointment at missing prizemoney." And Skeptic wrote: "What about the punters that backed the second-placed horse [behind Slick Image] that didn't get paid? Anti-inflammatory [drugs] are performance enhancing.''
Ian defended Heathcote. "You lot really need to do your research and stop jumping to conclusions," he wrote. "Rob Heathcote is probably the most honest trainer you'll ever meet. He's treated the horse with a substance that has nothing to do with performance enhancement. There is such a thing as mitigating circumstances; they were all clearly explained to the stewards. Rob Heathcote is guilty of nothing more than not being diligent enough with the amount of hydrocortisone that was used to treat one of his many horses."
Hydrocortisone could be a tad more potent than the Perth treatment. "Why are they making a big deal over electrolyte paste. Every athlete on the planet has similar sort of things pre- and post-race and I would bet most racehorses do too," Peter M wrote.
"Neither horse was administered a prohibited substance. The stewards have an obligation to the owners and hence allowed the horses to run," wrote @Jackson.
Many wiseguys figure the Victorian policy is shutting the stable door after the souped-up horse has bolted. Sydney has been under much closer surveillance for far longer.
But there can be substitutes for an early breakfast.
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