Harness stewards’ inquiry – trainer Kevin Egerton-Green – Peter Romeo
Racing and Wagering Western Australia stewards conducted an inquiry on Friday 21 October 2022 in relation to reports from the Chem Centre in Perth and Racing Analytical Services Ltd (Vic) that metformin had been detected in the sample taken from Peter Romeo (trained by Kevin Egerton-Green) following it competing in and finishing third in race five at Gloucester Park on 13 May 2022.
After hearing submissions from Mr Egerton-Green, evidence from Chem Centre representative Miss E Cook, RWWA Head of Veterinary Services Dr J Medd and RWWA Investigator Mrs F Bennett, Mr Egerton-Green pleaded guilty to the following charge:
Harness Rule of Racing 190 (1) (2) & (4) Presentation free of prohibited substance
Particulars of the charge being that as the trainer, he presented Peter Romeo to race in race five at Gloucester Park on 13 May 2022, where it raced and finished third, not free of the prohibited substance metformin which is specified as a prohibited substance under HRR 190A(2)(j).
Having adjourned the inquiry to consider penalty, stewards have now determined to impose a penalty of nine (9) months disqualification with effect from 10 August 2022 which was the date that Mr Egerton-Green’s licence was suspended pending outcome of this matter.
Accordingly, the penalty expires on 9 May 2023.
Further Peter Romeo was disqualified from the race in question in accordance with HRR195, with all relevant prize money to be returned and redistributed accordingly.
When determining penalty stewards considered, among other things:
- Mr Egerton-Green’s plea of guilty, personal circumstances and his overall record of some 15 years of licensed participation which included an offence in 2012 for presenting a runner with a level of total carbon dioxide in excess of the prescribed levels.
- The intent and purpose of the rule which was directed to ensuring a level playing field and maintaining the necessary confidence of those supporting or involved in the racing industry.
- The nature of the substance detected, namely that metformin was a classified as an oral anti-hyperglycaemic medication, indicated for use in the management of diabetes in humans.
- There were no registered medical formulas containing metformin approved for use in horses in Australia and it is not generally regarded as having any legitimate therapeutic use in racing horses.
- The evidence that metformin was a specified prohibited substance under Rule 190A (2)(j) by virtue of having an action or effect as an adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK) activator and was thus considered to be a permanently banned substance.
- The evidence did not establish contamination to be a likely factor and accordingly the inquiry was unable to establish how the substance came to be detected.
- This was the first detection of metformin in Western Australia and accordingly the penalty issued would set the standard.
- The detection of substances intended primarily for human use which do not have legitimate therapeutic use in racing horses was a serious matter that required suitable penalty.
- Penalties issued in Western Australia for a range of substances which reflected that those concerning permanently banned substances attracted higher levels of penalty, commonly lengthy disqualifications, as compared to penalties issued for the detection of routine veterinary therapeutics.