Review of suspension tomorrow

AN internal review of the decision to suspend Queensland trainer Ben Currie pending the resolution of animal cruelty charges against him will be heard at 9.30am tomorrow.

The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission suspended Currie’s licence on Monday after he failed to convince stewards he should be allowed to continue to train horses.

Currie, who is fighting multiple charges in the courts, was last Friday hit with seven further offences relating to allegations of serious animal cruelty, including the use of “jiggers”.

He yesterday lodged an application for an internal review of the decision to stand him down pending the resolution of the latest charges.

Under Queensland rules, the reviewer has 20 working days to hear the case and it does not carry an automatic stay.

But Currie’s legal team can now seek a hearing before the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal for an urgent stay application.

On Monday night, Currie issued a statement to the owners of his horses.

“Your horse’s welfare has always been my first concern and I will continue to dispute any claims otherwise,” he said. “I intend going to QCAT … and we are confidant (sic) I will get a stay of proceedings and it will be business as usual on Wednesday.”

Currie is listed to appear in the Supreme Court on Friday for a judicial review of legal matters pertaining to 28 charges arising from a raid on his stables in April last year.