RV Stewards' Report - Chris Calthorpe

Racing Victoria Staff

Mar 31, 2026

Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards have completed their inquiry into the finding of O-Desmethyltramadol as detected in a pre-race urine sample taken from the Chris Calthorpe-trained racehorse, Divine Turf, prior to competing at Kyneton Racecourse on 18 November 2025.

During the inquiry, Stewards considered evidence taken from Mr Chris Calthorpe as the trainer of Divine Turf, and a Brief of Evidence compiled by the RV Compliance Assurance Team.

Charge (1) – AR240(2) Prohibited substances in sample taken from horse at race meeting

The particulars of the charge are summarised as follows:

  • On 18 November 2025 Mr Calthorpe presented Divine Turf to race in Race 7, the Bet365 New Racing App BM56 Handicap over 1472 metres at Kyneton Racecourse.
  • On 18 November 2025 a pre-race urine sample taken from the mare was found to contain the prohibited substance O-Desmethyltramadol. 

Plea: Guilty

Charge (2) – AR 104 (1) – Trainers must keep treatment records

The particulars of the charge are summarised as follows:

  • Between 8 September 2025 and 27 November 2025 Mr Calthorpe failed to record treatments of Kenacort joint injections administered to horses in his stable. 

Plea: Guilty

Penalty

Stewards considered the following with respect to penalty:

  1. Guilty plea.
  2. Co-operation throughout the investigation and inquiry.
  3. Mr Calthorpe’s record in relation to similar breaches.
  4. The circumstances of this particular case.
  5. Precedent penalties
  6. Personal and professional circumstances.
  7. Principles of specific and general deterrence and what message is sent to the industry in respect to such conduct.

In all these circumstances, Stewards determined the appropriate penalty to be:

Charge 1 - $3500

Charge 2 - $1500

Divine Turf

Under the provisions of AR240(1), Stewards disqualified Divine Turf from its 5th placing in Race 7, the Bet365 New Racing App BM56 Handicap over 1472 metres at Kyneton Racecourse on 18 November 2025 and amended the placings accordingly.

Relevant Rules

AR 240 Prohibited substance in sample taken from horse at race meeting 

  1. Subject to subrule (3), if a horse is brought to a racecourse 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 horse must be disqualified from any race in which it started on that day. 

  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.

AR 104 Trainers must keep treatment records 

  1. A trainer must record any medication or treatment administered to any horse in the trainer’s care by midnight on the day on which the administration was given. 

(2)  For the purpose of subrule (1), each record of administration must include the following information: 
(a) the name of the horse; 
(b) the date and time of administration of the treatment or medication; 
(c) the name of the treatment or medication administered (brand name or active constituent); 
(d) the route of administration including by injection, stomach tube, orally, topical application or inhalation; 
(e) the amount of medication given (if applicable); 
(f) the duration of treatment (if applicable); 
(g) the name and signature of the person/s administering and/or authorising the administration of the treatment or medication; 
(h) the reason for administering the treatment or medication. 

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