RV Stewards' Report - Matthew Brown

Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards today concluded their inquiries into a charge issued on 23 July 2026 against licensed trainer Matthew Brown.

Mr Brown today pleaded guilty to a charge under Australian Rule of Racing 240(2), as the trainer of Rip ‘N’ Rip (the Horse) in relation to the Horse’s win at Bendigo Racecourse on 13 July 2025.

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: 

1. On 13 July 2025, the Horse was brought to Bendigo Racecourse and ran in Race 7, the Sheahan Plumbing BM64 Handicap, over 1300 metres (the Race).

2. On 13 July 2025, after the Race, a urine sample was taken from the Horse (the Sample).

3. An analysis of the Sample detected the presence of Formestane, 4-Hydroxytestosterone and 6a-Hydroxyandrost-4-Ene 3, 17-Dione.

4. Formestane, 4-Hydroxytestosterone and 6a-Hydroxyandrost-4-Ene 3, 17-Dione are prohibited substances pursuant to Division 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 (Prohibited list A) of the Australian Rules of Racing. 

The Stewards heard submissions on penalty and after doing so took into consideration Mr Brown’s guilty plea, his personal circumstances and his record noting that this was his second offence relating to a presentation charge.

Taking into account these submissions, together with the precedent set by the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT), the Stewards determined that Mr Brown be fined $6,000, with $3,000 suspended for 12 months pending no further relevant offences during that time.

In addition, acting under AR 240 (1) Rip ‘N’ Rip was disqualified from Race 7 at Bendigo Racecourse, the Sheahan Plumbing BM64 Handicap over 1300 metres on 13 July 2025 and the finishing order amended accordingly.

Mr Brown was advised of his rights of appeal which must be lodged with the VRT within three days.

Australian Rule of Racing (AR) 240, commonly referred to as the ‘presentation charge’, was removed from the Serious Offence list in Victoria with effect from 1 July 2025.

Charges issued for breaching rules under the Serious Offence list must be heard by the VRT. Those not on the Serious Offence list may be heard by RV Stewards with participants retaining the right to appeal a decision of the Stewards to the VRT.

Thus, charges issued under AR240 for samples collected prior to 1 July 2025 must be referred directly to the VRT. For charges issued under AR240 for samples collected after 1 July 2025, Stewards can convene an inquiry and decide the matter without referring it to the VRT.

This change in the Serious Offence list was enacted by RV in 2025 following consultation with the VRT, Australian Trainers Association (ATA) and Victorian Jockeys Association (VJA) with the intent of expediting the process for all parties without removing any rights for participants.