RWWA Stewards today conducted an inquiry into reports received from the ChemCentre in Perth, that arsenic in excess of the threshold value being 0.30 mg/L in urine, had been detected in the urine samples taken from the following horses after competing in and winning the races as detailed below:
GREAT AGAIN – Race 6, Northam Race Club 4 June 2018
MR MOTOWN – Race 6, Belmont 9 June 2018
Evidence was taken from RWWA Veterinarian Dr. J Medd, RWWA Senior Investigator, Mr G. Johnson, ChemCentre Analyst Ms. M Raghvani and the trainer Mr. L Smith.
Mr L. Smith was subsequently charged with two offences under the provisions ARR 178, which states:
Subject to AR.177C, when any horse that has been brought to a racecourse for the purpose of engaging in a race and a prohibited substance is detected in any sample taken from it prior to or following its running in any race, the trainer and any other person who was in charge of such horse at any relevant time may be penalised.
The particulars being that he brought GREAT AGAIN and MR MOWTOWN to start in the above races with the prohibited substance arsenic being detected in the urine samples taken from both horses following their respective races.
Mr Smith pleaded not guilty to both charges and the inquiry was adjourned to a time and date to be fixed to allow stewards to consider the evidence and his submissions in defence of the charges.