Trainer’s fate unclear

Birchley can work until penalty decided

THE Queensland Racing Integrity Commission has ruled that Liam Birchley can continue to train as normal until a penalty is handed down by Victoria’s Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board later this week.

Birchley was one of eight licensees found guilty of some 271 charges related to race-day treatments as part of the Aquanita inquiry yesterday.

Birchley, who was found guilty of three charges laid against him, has indicated he will appeal as soon as the penalty is handed down.

Both Victoria and NSW refused to take nominations from Birchley after charges were laid against him earlier this year, but he has been able to train in his home state.

Queensland’s Racing Integrity Commissioner Ross Barnett said a decision will be made on his future after the penalty hearing.

“Mr Birchley, who was convicted along with seven others for offences relating to raceday treatment, can continue to nominate and to train racehorses in Queensland until the Victorian Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board penalty is handed down,” Barnett said.

RAD Board chairman Judge John Bowman said Birchley was “what could be described as a non-paying customer of the services provided in relation to top-ups.”

He said Birchley’s claim that he barely knew Greg Nelligan, described by Judge Bowman as “the architect” of the top-up scheme, was contradicted in text messages that revealed “a good deal of familiarity”.

“We would add that we consider Mr Birchley’s credit to have been destroyed in crossexamination. We do not consider him to be a witness of truth,” Judge Bowman said.

“We are comfortably satisfied that the charge against him has been made out and we find the charge proven.”

Travis Schultz Law, for Birchley, yesterday confirmed a “devastated” Birchley would appeal the decision.