Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards have today issued a charge against licensed trainer Ms Jenny Gow-Whyte following their investigation into the circumstances that led to the Ms Gow-Whyte-trained Anova Belle returning a pre-race urine sample containing a prohibited substance.
The sample, which contained Phenylbutazone (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory) and its metabolites Oxyphenbutazone and Gamma-Hydroxyphenylbutazone, was collected prior to Anova Belle winning the Bet365 BM58 Handicap over 1000 metres at Camperdown Racecourse on 19 January, 2019.
The presence of Phenylbutazone, Oxyphenbutazone and Gamma-Hydroxyphenylbutazone were detected in the urine sample by Racing Analytical Services Limited and by the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory.
Stewards have issued a charge against Ms Gow-Whyte under AR 240(2), which reads as follows:
“Subject to subrule (3), if a horse is brought to a racecourse for the purpose of participating in a race and a prohibited substance on Prohibited List A and/or Prohibited List B is detected in a sample taken from the horse prior to or following its running in any race, the trainer and any other person who was in charge of the horse at any relevant time breaches these Australian Rules.”
The charge issued against Ms Gow-Whyte will be heard before the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary (RAD) Board on a date to be fixed.