Trainer Ms Linda Britton – ZELEMAR FEVER
19 January, 2015
Greyhound
Following Ms L. Britton pleading guilty on Thursday 15 January 2015 to all charges (listed below) issued on 17 December 2014 the Stewards have now completed their deliberations with respect to penalty and have determined as follows.
Charges
Charge 1 under GAR 83(2)(a) – Racing greyhound to be free of prohibited substances with the particulars of the charge being;
That Ms. L. Britton, as the trainer, nominated and presented ZELEMAR FEVER to compete in Race 5 at Greyhounds WA Cannington on 16 August 2014 not free of the prohibited substance testosterone, evidenced by the presence of 5β – androstane- 3α, 17β – diol at a concentration greater than 10 nanograms per millilitre in a urine sample taken from the greyhound following it competing and winning that event.
Stewards have imposed a disqualification of nine (9) months effective forthwith.
Charge 2 under GAR83 (2)(a) – Racing greyhound to be free of prohibited substances with the particulars of the charge being;
That Ms L. Britton, as the trainer, nominated and presented ZELEMAR FEVER to compete in Race 8 at Greyhounds WA Cannington on 23 August 2014 not free of the prohibited substance testosterone, evidenced by the presence of 5β – androstane- 3α, 17β – diol at a concentration greater than 10 nanograms per millilitre in a urine sample taken from the greyhound following it competing and finishing third in that event.
Stewards have imposed a disqualification of nine (9) months effective forthwith.
Charge 3 under Rule 84A(1) – R84A Treatment records to be kept with the particulars of the charge being;
That Ms L. Britton, being registered as a public trainer, failed to keep any treatment records detailing the administration of ethyloestrenol tablets to greyhound bitches trained by her.
Stewards have imposed a fine of $200.
Charge 4 under Rule 84A(4)(b) – R84A Treatment records to be kept with the particulars of the charge being;
That Ms L. Britton did possess a quantity of approximately 1,500 ethyloestrenol tablets, which is a scheduled 4 medicine, in two unlabelled containers located by Stewards on the 10 October 2014 in the fridge within her residence at her training premises which were not prescribed in compliance with the relevant provisions.
Stewards have imposed a fine of $300.
All penalties are to be served cumulatively with the total period of disqualification to be eighteen (18) months and total of $500 in fines.
Pursuant to the provisions of R83(4) the Stewards have disqualified ZELEMAR FEVER from the races in question, specifically from winning Race 5, the Tabtouch W.A. Sprint Championship Final at Cannington on 16 August 2014, and from finishing third in Race 8 the Tabtouch National Sprint Championship Final at Cannington on 23 August 2014, with the placings to be amended accordingly with commensurate implications for stakemoney and trophy’s to apply pursuant to GAR64 and LR68E.
In relation to penalty Stewards took into account:
- Ms Britton’s prior record indicating a previous offence in 1984 in relation to Pholcodiene (6-month disqualification), and a 1999 offence in relation to antibiotics ($750 fine).
- The nature and seriousness of the offences.
- The need for deterrence.
- The absence of explanation for either finding of the laboratory.
- Ms Britton’s personal circumstances and her plea of guilty to all charges.
- In relation to charge 3 and 4, the substance in question is an exempted substance under the Greyhound Rules of racing.