Thoroughbred – Stewards Inquiry – Trainer Ms Sharon Taylor – IGNITION
At a Stewards inquiry conducted on 2 April 2015, trainer Ms Sharon Taylor pleaded guilty to a charge under AR178 with the particulars of the charge that as the trainer, she brought and presented IGNITION for the purposes of engaging to race in Race 5 at Ascot on 4 March 2015 where it raced and finished second, with the prohibited substance cobalt being detected in a post-race urine sample taken from the gelding, at a level in excess of 200 micrograms per litre in urine.
The inquiry was adjourned in order for the Stewards to consider all the evidence and determine the matter of penalty which included conducting analysis of another stored sample that was available from IGNITION that was taken on 17 December 2014 after it had won Race 8 at Ascot.
The Chem Centre in Perth reported from that analysis that cobalt at a concentration in excess of 200 micrograms per litre was detected from the sample taken from IGNITION on 17 December 2014. That finding has now been verified by the National Measurement Institute (NMI) in Sydney.
The inquiry is therefore resuming on Thursday 30 April 2015 to inquire into these additional reports and seek further evidence and clarification both veterinary and from trainer Ms Taylor in relation to the two samples now under inquiry before the Stewards.
The previous direction to suspend Ms Taylor’s licence to train pending the outcome of the inquiry pursuant to Local Rule 10(d), remains applicable.
Denis Borovica
General Manager Racing Integrity
RWWA