2012 Annual Report - Racing NSW

integrity
Stewards’ Inquiries
Ray Murrihy
General Manager Integrity –
Chairman of Stewards
Stewards Department
Functions
The activities of Stipendiary Stewards include:-
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Ensuring the safe conduct and integrity of racing;
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Ensuring the welfare of the racehorse;
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Officiating at all race meetings and official trials in NSW
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Attending and supervising trackwork;
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Conducting track and stable inspections;
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Administering drug testing operations, including out of
competition testing;
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Addressing rider, track and horse safety issues;
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Conducting inquiries into race rides and conduct of licensed
persons;
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Conducting of sampling of riders and stable employees for
banned substances;
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Regulating and investigating wagering activities, and
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Investigating the use of illegal substances.
Personnel Changes
Craig Pringle resigned from his position of Chief Steward,
Northern Rivers Racing Association, to take up a position with the
Greyhound Racing NSW panel and was replaced by CDRA/WRA
Deputy Chief Steward, Mark Holloway.
Steward Chris Polglase, who had left the industry to pursue his
interests with an editorial role in the motoring magazine industry,
returned to the metropolitan panel.
Craig Yeo resigned from his position of Chief Steward, SERA
and that position was filled by Jim Walshe from the metropolitan
panel. Damien Carr, who had completed a traineeship, was
elevated to the position of Deputy Chief Steward, SERA.
Trainee Stewards Katie Atherton, Joshua Adams and Dean
Bucknell joined the metropolitan panel for their 12 month
internships.
Sam Fitzgerald, who had successfully completed his
metropolitan traineeship, was appointed to Deputy Chairman of
Stewards, CDWRA at Dubbo and Ben Watling was appointed to
the CDWRA panel, continuing the progression of young Stewards
through the traineeship program.
During the 2011/12 year, the panel presided over a broad range of
inquiries involving offences under the Rules of Racing with regard
to offences by jockeys and breaches of:-
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AR 137(a): Careless Riding, amounted to 296 suspensions of
licence and one suspension of six weeks issued for improper
riding from a metropolitan meeting;
AR137(b): Failure to ride horse out to finish – seven
suspensions of licence;
AR137A(5): Whip related offences – 21 suspensions of licence
– a pleasing reduction of 33% from the previous 12 months;
AR145: Weighing in overweight – nine suspensions of licence;
AR135 (b): Failure to take all reasonable and permissible
measures to win or obtain the best possible placing – one
suspension of licence.
A number of fines were also imposed on riders who were
in possession of modified safety vests, or more seriously, had
weighed out with and rode in modified safety vests.
The Stewards also presided over a number of conduct related
inquiries relative to harassment, with the most serious breach
resulting in the imposition of an 18 month disqualification upon
a prominent racing club official for the harassment of club
employees between 1998 and 2011.
Inquiries were also conducted into incidents of workplace
harassment arising from the use of Facebook, with fines being
imposed for improper conduct.
The Stewards also presided over proceedings relating to the
warning off of four persons for matters relating to the syndication
of horses, fraudulent activity and improper conduct.
Drug Testing and Surveillance
This year’s sampling figures show a significant increase over the 2010/11
figures, with ratios of sampling to starters up approximately 20%.
This increase was substantially due to a population study being
conducted by Racing NSW relative to the level of testosterone in
geldings.
A total of 14,129 samples were collected for analysis with an overall
industry ratio across the three sectors of samples to starters being 1:3.8.
In the Metropolitan area, increased sampling is reflected in the ratio of
samples to starters now 1:1.4, an increase in the ratio from 1:1.8.
In addition, strategies developed in the previous 12 months were
continued with emphasis on out of competition testing across NSW.
Stewards also conducted early morning stable visits of Metropolitan
and Provincial stables on major carnival racedays. This has been
complemented by searches of raceday horse transports throughout the
year, across the Metropolitan, Provincial and Country sectors.
In total, 10 positive swabs were dealt with by Stewards, involving
penalties to trainers of disqualification and suspension
(up to 10 months) to fines (up to $6000).
In addition, pending the completion of a Racing NSW study of
testosterone concentration in geldings, a number of cases of geldings
returning elevated levels in swabs are still to be completed.
Stewards also maintained a strong presence at trackwork, trials and
race meetings with rider and stablehand testing.
This involved breath and urine sampling over 400 licensed persons
for a range of banned substances, with 25 offences detected and
penalties of suspension or disqualification of licence handed down.
In licensee swab cases, emphasis has continued on rehabilitation and
educative processes with access to professional counselling provided
and encouragement in the form of reduction in penalty being offered.
Penalties handed down adequately reflected both specific and
general deterrence and significantly, the number of offences have
been reduced in the order of 50%, from a comparable number of
samples taken.
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Racing NSW Annual Report 2012