Currie awaits verdict

Magistrate reserves her decision

HORSE trainer Ben Currie will have to wait for a verdict in his trial on a charge of fraud after the presiding magistrate reserved her decision to be brought down later this month.

Currie, 30, has pleaded not guilty to fraud — dishonestly gaining a benefit on diverse dates between February 14, 2017, and February 15, 2019.

Co-accused Anthony Raymond Stephens, 27, has pleaded not guilty to a similar charge but on diverse dates between August 9, 2018, and February 15, 2019.

The prosecution claims the fraud arises from prizemoney gained over the nominated periods from horses which the prosecution claims were injected or “stomach tubed” substances that potentially enhanced performance.

The prosecution claims those particular horses were “shampooed”, injected with substances such as optimizers like L-arginine, on race day which is contrary to the rules of racing.

Through expert evidence from horse health specialist Dr Kenneth McKeever, who appeared via video link from New Jersey, the court heard Larginine may enhance performance but he could not say how or how much of the substance would have to be administered as the only literature available were of studies done on humans, dogs and rodents, not horses.

However, in his closing address to the court, Currie’s barrister Michael Copley QC argued that the prosecution case was that the benefit of participation was gained through the combination of Currie’s actions in nominating the horse for a race and then in his declaration of acceptance of the weight assigned to the horse by Queensland Racing handicappers.

He argued that at the time of both nomination and acceptance, there was no rule preventing the horse being treated.

Therefore, Mr Copley submitted the prosecution’s case of fraud was not made out and his client was not guilty.

Magistrate Kay Ryan will bring down her verdict later this month.