Stablehand banned for breach of treatment
QUEENSLAND racehorse owner and registered stablehand William Xanthopoulos will appeal against a six-month disqualification for a breach of race-day treatment rules.
She’s A Youeffoh was scratched from a Gold Coast race last month after stewards alleged Xanthopoulos intended to administer a substance called Gastrazone to the mare.
Premier Gold Coast trainer Les Kelly will appeal against a $5000 fine he received after stewards said supervision of his stables was unsatisfactory.
She’s A Youeffoh was a short-priced favourite for her race on October 3 when the Racing Queensland integrity unit conducted a random check of Kelly’s stable.
Xanthopoulos was found near She’s A Youeffoh and stewards allege he had intended give her Gastrazone, a commercially available dietary aid.
Stewards scratched She’s A Youeffoh from the race that day.
At a resumed inquiry, Xanthopoulos pleaded not guilty to improper practice. He argued he had not administered the substance and would not have done so without the permission of Kelly, who was due at the stables later.
Xanthopoulos said Kelly had made it clear to the inquiry he would never administer a substance on race day and therefore he (Xanthopoulos) would have not given She’s A Youeffoh the Gastrazone on the day.
Stewards said they were comfortable in the finding Xanthopoulos had intended to administer the substance.
Kelly, who also pleaded not guilty, told the inquiry he had no knowledge of Xanthopoulos’s actions.