Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards have today issued charges against licensed trainer Mr Archie Alexander following an investigation into the circumstances that led to the Mr Alexander trained, Tom’s Knight, returning a urine sample containing cobalt in excess of the permitted threshold.
The post-race urine sample was taken from Tom’s Knight subsequent to the gelding winning the Bet365 Protest Promise Maiden Plate 1200 metres at Kilmore Racecourse on 2 November 2018.
Cobalt is a prohibited substance on raceday pursuant to Division 1 of Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Australian Rules of Racing (Prohibited List B) (subject to the threshold of 100 micrograms per litre in urine in Item 11 of Division 3 of Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Australian Rules of Racing).
Both Racing Analytical Services Limited and the Racing Science Centre detected cobalt in the relevant sample at a concentration greater than 100 micrograms per litre.
Mr Alexander has been charged under AR 245, and in the alternative, under AR 240(2), both of which are replicated below.
Charge One: AR 245
AR 245 Administration of prohibited substance in sample taken from horse before/after running in race
(1) A person must not:
(a) administer; or
(b) cause to be administered,
a prohibited substance on Prohibited List A and/or Prohibited List B to a horse which is detected in a sample taken from the horse prior to or following the running of a race.
Charge Two: AR 240 [Alternative to Charge One]
AR 240 Prohibited substance in sample taken from horse at race meeting
(2) 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 charges issued against Mr Alexander will be heard before the Victorian Racing Tribunal on a date to be fixed.