Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards have today issued two charges against licensed trainer Richard Laming (trainer of Jamaican Rain).
Stewards have also issued one charge against Marnu Potgieter and MD Zeyaur Rahman (registered stable employees of Richard Laming).
These charges follow a raceday stable inspection conducted by the RV Compliance Assurance Team (CAT) at Mr Laming’s stable (the Premises) on 5 November 2019.
Jamaican Rainwas engaged to run in the Jim Beam Stakes (Group 3) over 1400 metres at Flemington Racecourse on 5 November 2019 (the Race).
Acting on a report by the CAT following its inspection on 5 November 2019, which revealed that Jamaican Rainwas lame in the off-fore and not suitable to race, the Stewards ordered the withdrawal of Jamaican Rainfrom the Race.
The particulars of Mr Laming’s charges are summarised as follows:
Charge 1: AR 255 – Stomach-tubing prohibited at certain times
Stewards allege that Mr Laming, on the morning of the Race and prior to the Stewards’ arrival at the Premises at approximately 8:44 am, stomach-tubed, caused the stomach-tubing of, attempted to stomach-tube and/or was a party to the stomach-tubing or attempted stomach-tubing of Jamaican Rain at the Premises.
Charge 2: AR 232(c) – Failure to observe processes and directions of PRAs or Stewards
Stewards allege that, while the Stewards were exercising their powers, performing their functions and/or carrying out their duties on 5 November 2019, Mr Laming obstructed, hindered and/or delayed the Stewards in exercising their powers, performing their functions and/or carrying out their duties, in that he deleted, or incited another person to delete, files from a Network Video Recorder on the Premises.
The particulars of Mr Potgieter’s charge is summarised as follows:
Charge: AR 255 – Stomach-tubing prohibited at certain times
Stewards allege that Mr Potgieter, on the morning of the Race and prior to the Stewards’ arrival at the Premises at approximately 8:44 am, stomach-tubed, attempted to stomach-tube and/or was a party to the stomach-tubing or attempted stomach-tubing of Jamaican Rain at the Premises.
The particulars of Mr Rahman’s charge is summarised as follows:
Charge: AR 255 – Stomach-tubing prohibited at certain times
Stewards allege that Mr Rahman, on the morning of the Race and prior to the Stewards’ arrival at the Premises at approximately 8:44 am, was a party to the stomach-tubing or attempted stomach-tubing of Jamaican Rain at the Premises.
The charges against all parties will be heard by the Victorian Racing Tribunal on a date to be fixed.