Thoroughbred Racing Northern Territory stewards have imposed a $6000 fine on trainer Dick Leech after his horse Century Fox returned an abnormal blood sample during the Darwin Cup Carnival.
Century Fox was tested before and after the $75,000 Darwin Guineas (1600m) on July 8 at Fannie Bay, where he finished a narrow second to the Phil Cole-trained Tubthumper.
The certificates of analysis for the pre-race blood sample declared the presence of nicotine and its metabolite cotinine, while the post-race blood sample detected the presence of cotinine.
The Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory (ARFL) issued the first certificates for these findings, while the conformation analysis was performed and the second certificates were issued by Racing Analytical Services Limited.
Evidence was tendered by Leech, ARFL general manager John Keledjian, and Racing & Wagering Western Australia industry veterinarian Dr Judith Medd during an inquiry conducted at the Darwin Turf Club on October 20.
After considering the scientific evidence relating to excretion times and the low detected levels, stewards were satisfied that the presence of nicotine and cotinine in the samples was most likely the result of Century Fox being subjected to some type of inadvertent exposure to tobacco or a similar product containing nicotine.
CCTV footage in the raceday tie-up stalls on July 8 did not identify any such exposure once the gelding arrived on course.
Nicotine and cotinine are prohibited substances pursuant to Division 1 of Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Australian Rules of Racing (Prohibited List B).
Subsequently, stewards disqualified Century Fox from the Darwin Guineas, with the Kerry Petrick-trained Anphina promoted to second place and the Kevin Lamprecht-trained Iknowhatyouredoing promoted to third.
When imposing penalties, stewards also took into consideration the seriousness of the offence and the nature of the Prohibited List B substance being a stimulant and potentially performance-enhancing.
Leech pleaded guilty, having previously breached the rule in 2008 and 2019.
The trainer was unavailable for comment.
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