Racing Victoria Stewards have issued one charge against Nick Smart, as the trainer of Mr Coyne under Rule 240 of the Australian Rules of Racing:
Charge One: AR 240 Prohibited substance in sample taken from horse at race meeting
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(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 particulars of the charge are summarised as follows:
- On 23 August 2020, Mr Coyne was brought to the Ballarat racecourse and ran in the Ecycle Solutions BM120 Steeplechase over 3200 metres (the race).
- Caffeine (and its metabolites Theophylline, Paraxanthine and Theobromine) were detected in a post-race urine sample taken from Mr Coyne following the running of the race.
- Caffeine (and its metabolites Theophylline, Paraxanthine and Theobromine) are prohibited substances pursuant to Prohibited List B of the Australian Rules of Racing.
The charge issued against Mr Smart will be heard before the Victorian Racing Tribunal on a date to be fixed.