Aquanita accused may get to ‘cop plea’

RACING Victoria will consider negotiating penalties with the eight accused in the Aquanita Racing inquiry to avoid a repeat of the infamously protracted cobalt saga.

RV chairman Brian Kruger confirmed dealings between RV and five trainers and three stable employees facing 271 counts of breaching racing rules had started — but had now stalled.

It is understood Group 1winning trainers Robert Smerdon, Stuart Webb and Tony Vasil have been told they all face bans — if found guilty — ranging from five to 10 years. It is believed penalty discussions included consideration for early guilty pleas.

The discussions had started before the release of potentially incriminating text messages, which painted a disturbing picture of race-day treatment.

Smerdon, Webb, Tony Vasil, Liam Birchley, Trent Pennuto, Greg Nelligan, Denise Nelligan and Danny Garland have all been charged with engaging in “a practice that was dishonest, corrupt or fraudulent, improper or dishonourable” in that they were “party to the administration of alkalinising agents and/or medications to a horse or horses on a race day”.

Kruger said RV would continue discussions with the charged parties ahead of tomorrow’s second directions hearing at the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board.

“Look there’s been some early discussions about a possibility of that happening,” Kruger said on RSN.

“It’s about getting the balance right between not spending a lot of industry time, effort, resources on prosecuting a case if we can the outcome that we think that is appropriate.”