Currie faces new charges
TRAINER Ben Currie is permitted to have horses race at Doomben and Toowoomba today, despite being hit with seven new charges relating to allegations of “serious animal welfare” issues yesterday.
The charges include the alleged use of an electric or electronic apparatus (jigger) on two horses in mid-2016.
There is also a charge issued over a horse being subjected to shockwave therapy within seven days of it racing and two charges of failing to report that two horses in Currie’s care bled, one of which was sold soon after the alleged incident.
Currie has been ordered to front a hearing at 10am on Monday to show cause why he should not be suspended.
Integrity Commissioner Ross Barnett said the “animal welfare allegations … have left us with no choice but to act in the interests of the Queensland racing industry” but said horses would be permitted to compete today.
Trainer Rob Heathcote felt the image of the industry should have outweighed all other considerations in determining whether Currie’s runners should have been allowed to run today.
“I’m disappointed that a line hasn’t been drawn in the sand. These are very serious allegations relating to animal welfare,” Heathcote said.
Barnett said the impact on owners and jockeys and the fact none of the horses competing are the subject of the latest allegations all came into account before the decision was made to let the horses run.
“However this position will be reviewed after Monday’s Steward’s Inquiry,” he said.
The latest charges emanate from the investigation into Currie Racing, which was launched on April 7, 2018.
Already facing 28 charges and additionally another four positive swabs, Currie has been training on a stay of proceedings granted at QCAT after being stood down by QRIC last June. Neither of those inquiries has been concluded, as Currie has sought a Supreme Court review, which will not be heard until next month.
His father Mark, who works in his son’s stable, was disquali- fied for two years on several race day treatment offences from the April 7 investigation, but also secured a stay of proceedings. His appeal at QCAT has been scheduled for May.
Ben Currie has been Queensland’s leading trainer by winners for the past two seasons and in 2018-19 is a runaway leader again, having already trained 101 winners, 64 of them on his home track at Toowoomba.
Currie has five runners at Doomben and another eight runners engaged at Toowoomba tomorrow night.