Trainer in appeal on hefty ban

TASMANIAN harness racing trainer Ken Rattray has been disqualified for five years over a positive swab to cobalt returned by his stable star Destreos.

Destreos returned the positive swab after finishing unplaced in a race at Carrick on New Year’s Eve last year.

Rattray’s inquiry was heard by stewards last Thursday and the hefty penalty was handed down after a hearing that lasted almost six hours.

Destreos returned a swab reading that showed a mass reading of 156 micrograms of cobalt per litre of urine, which exceeded the threshold limit of 100g/L. The threshold was originally set at 200 g/L but reduced to the lesser level 18 months ago.

The inquiry was twice deferred owing to Rattray’s ill-health. He was first issued with a charge in writing on March 27 pursuant to Australian harness racing rules of racing AHRR 190(1), (2) and (4) for failing to present Destreos free of the prohibited substance cobalt.

Rattray reserved his plea to the charge and after giving due consideration to the evidence tendered throughout the inquiry, stewards sustained the charge. In determining the penalty, stewards took into consideration Rattray’s reserved plea and his licence history, including that he had five previous disqualifications for prohibited substance matters.

Rattray immediately lodged an appeal against both the charge and penalty.

“I am not in a position to discuss the matter as I have lodged an appeal but I will say that I was shocked,” Rattray said. “I’ve lodged an appeal against the charge and the penalty, and hopefully I will get a better hearing at the appeal.”

Rattray applied for a stay of proceedings which was granted by stewards, enabling him to continue to train and race his horses.