Some big trainers seem to keep finding ways to win.. and beat swab charges. Is it their genius or something else?
“Stewards did not impose a penalty on Mr Gary Hall Snr”1.
This determination by HRNSW gives more questions than answers.
Retention Farce-ility
HRNSW have stated or claimed the following:
- They are the “leaders in integrity’ because of their Retention Facility.2
- “There are 48 surveillance cameras in the Barn as well as security guards and stewards.”3
- “The detection of synephrine had resulted from contamination, with the most likely cause of that contamination being lucerne chaff”1
Harness racing participants would like to know information from the Retention Facility surveillance camera footage and HRNSW investigations:
- Why stewards weren’t mindful of Clinton Hall’s licence history since he was caring for MY HARD COPY in Sydney? Google Cinton Hall erythropoietin five-year disqualification. HRNSW only stated that they were mindful of Gary Hall Snr’s licence history – Note – Gary Hall Snr wasn’t managing the horse in Sydney.
- How did syneprhine enter the retention facility?
- How was MY HARD COPY doped with synephrine?
- The amount of lucerne chaff that was fed to MY HARD COPY?
- When was MY HARD COPY fed lucerne chaff?
- How much synephrine would need to be in lucerne chaff to return a positive swab?
- What is the source of the Lucerne chaff? [to warn other participants not to use it]
- What are the names of the other horses fed this Lucerne chaff?
- Why other horses fed this lucerne chaff haven’t returned a positive synephrine swab?
- Whether MY HARD COPY likes the taste of common rush or the plants that contain synephrine?
- Whether synephrine is detailed in Gary Hall Snr’s trainers log book?
- What Gary Hall Snr feeds horses to make them superior?
- Why aren’t HRNSW consistent with their penalties. Note – Trainer Ricky Potts was disqualified by Reid Sanders in 2013 for 9 months for a Synephrine positive swab. Ricky Potts had a 14-year unblemished record.4 Ricky raced 7 times in 2013 ($270) and 10 times in 2012 ($5,303). He hasn’t raced since.
- Why are leading trainer’s swabs more accidental or innocent than other trainers like Ricky Potts?
Other examples of penalty free swabs from leading trainers;
- Grant Dixon’s- ARSENIC – nothing announced by Racing Queensland old or new I N T E G R I T Y structure?5
- Grant Dixon’s – TCO2 8.6.2012 – appeal upheld with some interesting science from Dr Andrew van Eps. Reid Sanders himself wouldn’t take long to reject such a poor scientific defence.6
- Luke McCarthy’s – BOLDENONE 9.12.2011– appeal upheld with some interesting scientific interpretations and conclusions. “It should be noted that the peculiarity of the science involving this particular sample is unique to this case and remains the first and only one of its kind Worldwide.” Some might wonder if any other peculiar science influenced McCarthy’s abnormal domination at that time.7,8.
Following a lot of good work, Reid Sanders had an opportunity to give more confidence to the integrity of harness racing with this Gary Hall Snr case in NSW. Misaligned handicapping, media, procedures and skewed penalties for select harness racing participants isn’t moving harness racing forward.
Unfortunately, Reid Sanders has dropped the ball here and if he doesn’t provide truth and valid answers to these questions then he has to resign.
- http://www.harness.org.au/news-article.cfm?news_id=30522 – 28 July 2007 [Synephrine]
- http://www.harness.org.au/news-article.cfm?news_id=25109
- http://www.interdominionsydney.com.au/docs/1393478444_2014-02-27_2014%20TAB.COM.AU%20Inter%20Dominion%20MediaRelease_Retention%20Barn%20in%20full%20swing.pdf
- http://www.harness.org.au/news-article.cfm?news_id=19757
- http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/superracing/qld-racing/top-queensland-harness-trainer-grant-dixon-has-two-positives-to-arsenic/news-story/fd8864f10f7c57f72af744d546c0e059
- http://www.sclqld.org.au/caselaw/QCAT/2012/331
- http://www.harnessmediacentre.com.au/uploads/files/appeal%20decisions/mccarthy%20supreme%20court%20decision%20180614.pdf
- http://www.harness.org.au/news-article.cfm?news_id=19261
WA – Stewards Inquiry: C Hall
20 September 2007
http://www.harness.org.au/news-article.cfm?news_id=7586
28 August 2007
http://www.harness.org.au/news-article.cfm?news_id=7372
14 August 2007
http://www.harness.org.au/news-article.cfm?news_id=7247
7 August 2007
http://www.harness.org.au/news-article.cfm?news_id=7372
16 July 2007
http://www.harness.org.au/news-article.cfm?news_id=7071
(Name withheld by request)
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
