Thoroughbred stewards’ inquiry – trainer Julie Clements (Dannemora)
Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) stewards have concluded the inquiry into the report received from the ChemCentre in Perth that 2-(1-hydroxyethyl) promazine sulfoxide (HEPS), a metabolite of acepromazine, was detected in the post-mortem urine sample taken from Dannemora at Belmont Park official trials on Tuesday, 3 January 2023.
After hearing evidence from trainer J Clements, ChemCentre representative E Cook, RWWA Regulatory Veterinarian Dr C McMullen, Regulatory Veterinarian Dr P Symons, RWWA Steward B Fleay and RWWA Senior Investigative Steward P Criddle, Ms Clements pleaded guilty to the following breaches:
Breach 1: AR 241(a) – Particulars of the breach being that Julie Clements, as the trainer, brought Dannemora to Belmont Park Racecourse on 3 January 2023 to compete in official trial 12 with 2-(1-hydroxyethyl promazine) sulfoxide, a prohibited substance on Prohibited List B, being detected in a post-mortem urine sample taken from the gelding.
Breach 2: AR 104 (1) – Particulars being that Julie Clements, as the trainer, failed to record the treatment of acepromazine administered to Dannemora on or about 1 January 2023.
After adjourning for consideration, the stewards imposed the following penalties:
Breach 1: A fine of $3000
Breach 2: A fine of $400.
In assessing penalty to both charges, stewards took into account:
- Ms Clements’ guilty pleas in regard to both breaches.
- Ms Clements’ personal circumstances and that her involvement as a trainer has been over a period of some thirty (30) years.
- Ms Clements’ record which shows a prior breach of the prohibited substance rules in 2018 relating to the detection of the therapeutic anti-inflammatory flunixin at a low level.
- The prohibited substance detected was only the metabolite and did not include the parent drug and in consequence had no effect on the gelding.
- The nature of the substance involved being one commonly used in racing stables.
- Ms Clements was forthright in her evidence at an early stage in advising that acepromazine had been used on Dannemora on Saturday, 31 December 2022, for the gelding to undergo a shoeing correction.
- The evidence of Ms Clements with respect to the timing of her administration was consistent with the results of analysis.
- Past cases under AR 241 where fines were issued relating to similar substances.
- The matter involved trials as opposed to racing, therefore no stake money or wagering considerations apply.
- The potential for such matters to tarnish the image and reputation of racing.