Leading trainer admits rule breach after stable raid

Champion harness trainer Emma Stewart has broken her silence around the circumstances around Harness Racing Victoria stewards scratching two of her pacers, including Inter Dominion placegetter Act Now, from last Sunday’s (Sep. 17) Maryborough Cup meeting.

Stewart, who won five of the 12 Group 1 Vicbred finals at Melton last Saturday night, released a statement around the stable inspection by HRV stewards earlier that morning that led to pacers Act Now and Show Me Heaven being withdrawn from their respective Maryborough races.

“Last Saturday morning (September 16), Harness Racing Victoria stewards inspected my stables and as a result two of my horses, Act Now and Show Me Heaven, were scratched from their engagements at Maryborough the following day,” the statement read.

“Act Now was being administered a ‘Hartman’s’ drip and Show Me Heaven was about to be administered one. I now know this was inside the permitted time frame before their scheduled races.

“On the day and subsequently, I have co-operated fully with HRV stewards and will continue to do so. I willingly provided samples of the intravenous drips and treatment records for the horses.

“There were no prohibited substances used and the inquiry will show this.

“I accept I have breached the rules by administering the drip to Act Now and, intending to do the same with Show Me Heaven, inside one clear day of the horses racing.

“This was a mistake, which I take responsibility for, and I will continue to co-operate fully with HRV stewards until the inquiry is concluded.”

A “Hartmann’s” drip is described as: “a compound sodium lactate used to replace body fluid and mineral salts.”

Industry speculation went into overdrive late last Saturday night when HRV’s integrity unit issued a brief notification, explaining the scratchings of Act Now and Show Me Heaven.

Stewart and partner, Clayton Tonkin, are Australia’s dominant training force and recently won the world’s richest pacing race, the inaugural $2.1m TAB Eureka at Menangle.

Just hours after the drama unfolded at Stewart’s Cardigan stables near Ballarat, they had 28 of the 94 runners across the eight Group 1 Vicbred finals they contested last Saturday night.

Stewart has won the past eight Victorian trainers’ premierships and holds a commanding lead again this season with 161 wins, 76 ahead of nearest rival Julie Douglas.

A HRV spokesman said: “Harness Racing Victoria acknowledges the interest generated by the recent stable inspection at the establishment of a highly successful trainer within our sport.

“We understand the significance of this news and reassure that all relevant protocols and procedures are being followed with utmost professionalism and respect.

“It is imperative that matters progress with due process, regardless of a stable’s size or success, to ensure a fair hearing and protect the integrity of the sport, and so there will be no further comment relating to an active investigation.”

No date has yet been set for the inquiry.

by Adam Hamilton, for News Corp