Currie can train for now

TOOWOOMBA trainer Ben Currie last night won his stay of proceedings application to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, meaning he can have runners again from next week.

The horses that were transferred to other stables for today’s Gatton meeting and tomorrow at Toowoomba will remain in those stables.

Currie has been granted a stay until five days after his Internal Review decision is handed down, at which time he will need to seek another stay should the internal review confirm the stewards’ decision.

The Internal Review was lodged by Currie this week and a decision has to be made within 20 working days.

Separate to that, QRIC has proposed a date of June 18 for the inquiry into the 31 charges made against Currie last Monday to be heard.

It has committed to providing Currie and his legal team with the evidence for that case by Monday. Yesterday, Acting Senior QCAT Member Joanne Brown ruled that Currie does have an arguable defence and the “balance of convenience” lies with him, and therefore granted the stay application.

Member Browne also noted that Currie had been “denied procedural fairness”.

The tribunal heard Currie has 15 full- time staff and outgoing expenses of nearly $ 140,000 a month.

“If I don’t get the stay, it would ruin me as a trainer. I’m done,” Currie told the tribunal.

Jim Murdoch, QC, for Currie, yesterday addressed each of the 31 charges Currie is facing. These include one relating to a text message where it is alleged Currie admits to cheating.

“The cheating is not explicit to any theme. We wouldn’t know if it was monopoly he was referring to. He plays touch football, too. Was it cheating at that?” Murdoch said.

Murdoch also took aim at QRIC for not publicly releasing the results of swabs from Currie- trained horses on April 7.