Doug Willis – Permanently warned off

Harness Racing New South Wales (HRNSW) Stewards advise that Mr Doug Willis has been permanently Warned Off following his failure to attend a Steward’s Inquiry as directed on two occasions, being 12 August 2015 and 7 September 2015.

HRNSW Stewards conducted an inquiry in relation to the seizure of unregistered products from the training establishment of a licensed trainer and the supply of those products and other products by Mr Willis, both in person and via a website for his business ‘RACE N PACE’.

HRNSW Stewards previously issued two charges against Mr Willis pursuant to Australian Harness Racing Rule (AHRR) 187 (1) & (7) as follows:

AHRR 187.   (1)  A person who is directed to do so by the Stewards shall attend an inquiry or investigation convened or conducted by them.

(7)  A person who fails to comply with any provision of this rule is guilty of an offence.

Mr Willis failed to answer those charges or provide any submissions.

Following recent warnings about unregistered products, HRNSW Stewards again remind licensed persons that the purchasing or possession of unregistered products is an offence under AHRR 194:

AHRR 194.    A person who procures or attempts to procure or who has in his possession or on his premises or under his control any substance or preparation that has not been registered, labelled, prescribed, dispensed or obtained in compliance with relevant State and Commonwealth legislation is guilty of an offence.

HRNSW Stewards also advise that it is an offence under AHRR 230 for any licensed person found to be associating with Mr Willis or any other warned off of disqualified person for the purposes of harness racing:

AHRR 230.  Except with the consent of the Controlling Body a person shall not associate for purposes relating to the harness racing industry with a disqualified person or a person whose name appears in the current list of disqualifications published or adopted by a recognised harness racing authority.

Reid Sanders