Harness racing stable hand disqualified

On Thursday 29 June 2017, RWWA Stewards conducted an inquiry into the reasons for former licensed driving stablehand Terry Trewenack failing to provide a urine sample when directed to do so at a Gloucester Park race meeting in February 2016. At the time Mr Trewenack had been working as a stablehand and had left the racecourse without providing a sample after being directed to do so and Stewards have been unable to contact him until recently.

After considering all the evidence, Mr Trewenack was issued a charge under rule 250A(1)(b) which states:

A person carrying on or purporting to carry on an activity regulated by licence at any time or carrying on official duties at a meeting commits an offence if he or she refuses or fails to deliver a sample as directed by the stewards, or tampers with, adulterates, alters, substitutes or in any way hinders the collection of such sample or attempts to do any of these things.

The specifics of the charge were that in February 2016 while licensed as a driving stablehand he failed to deliver a urine sample when directed to do so by Stewards at Gloucester Park Racecourse.

Mr Trewenack pleaded guilty to the charge and was subsequently disqualified for a period of 6 months to take effect immediately.

In determining penalty, Stewards took into account the following factors:

• The seriousness of the offence

• Mr Trewenack’s previous record

• The need for the penalty to achieve specific and general deterrence

• Mr Trewenack’s guilty plea and forthright evidence

• His personal circumstances at the time of the offence and the steps that he has taken to improve his circumstances.

Rhys Chappell

Deputy Chief Steward