Father, son fined $7000 each on positive swabs

CHRISTCHURCH: Trainer Robert Dunn, who operates stables in South Auckland and North Canterbury, has been fined $7000 after three horses returned positive swabs to banned substance caffeine.

Dunn’s son, John, who manages the Woodend Beach stable north of Christchurch, and was in charge of the horses in question at the twoday Nelson meeting last June, was also fined $7000.

The three horses — Billy Badger, Hayden’s Meddle and Rishi — returned four positive swabs between them and were disqualified from their four wins.

Billy Badger won on both days, including the Nelson Winter Cup at the second meeting.

Rishi, since sold and exported to Australia, was trained by Craig and Aimee Edmonds, the father and sister of John Dunn’s wife, Jenna, but was under an official horse movement to Robert Dunn for the meeting.

The Racing Integrity Unit (RIU) did not charge the Dunns until February after an investigation lasting the best part of eight months.

According to the official Judicial Control Authority summation of the case, the RIU thoroughly investigated the possibility that the Dunns’ horses were ‘‘nobbled’’ by an outside party.

Ultimately, no evidence was found to support this.

Once charged, the Dunns pleaded guilty to four charges each of presenting a horse to race not free of a prohibited substance.

The RIU sought a total fine of $4000 for the offending, but the JCA deemed that figure to be manifestly light and opted for $14,000, split evenly between the father and son.

Recent fines issued to Kevin Townley, Richard Brosnan, Bruce Negus and the Edmonds for breaches of the same charge were factored in to the sentencing.

The RIU did not seek costs in relation to the eightmonth investigation, which the JCA called ‘‘a generous position to adopt’’, but they themselves issued $1000 in costs, split between the Dunns.

Horses promoted to victories as a result of the disqualifications were Ace High, Mongolian Hero, Boults On Fire and Terrier. — NZ Harness News