RV Stewards' Report - Grahame Begg

Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards, subsequent to their investigation, have issued one charge against licensed trainer, Mr. Grahame Begg, under Australian Rule of Racing 240(2), as the trainer of ‘Shades Of Pink’ (the Horse) after the Horse raced in Race 1 at Southside Pakenham (Synthetic) Racecourse on 22 June 2026.

AR 240(2) relevantly states the following:

Charge: 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.
…

A summary of the particulars of the charge is as follows:

1. On 22 June 2026, the Horse was presented to the Southside Pakenham (Synthetic) Racecourse and was engaged to race in Race 1, the ‘Ladbrokes Odds Surge Maiden Plate’, over 1100 metres (the Race).
2. On 22 June 2026, prior to the Race, a blood sample (R636252) was taken from the Horse (the Sample).
3. An analysis of the Sample detected the presence of Meloxicam.
4. Meloxicam is a prohibited substance pursuant to Division 1 of Part 2 of Schedule 2 (Prohibited list B) of the Australian Rules of Racing.

The presence of Meloxicam was detected in the Sample by Racing Analytical Services Limited and the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory.

Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug which is approved for use in horses to prevent and treat inflammation.

The substance is, however, prohibited when detected in a sample taken from a horse at a race meeting or trial (including an official trial or a jump-out for the purpose of obtaining a permit to start in a race).

The charge issued against Mr. Grahame Begg will be heard by a Stewards Panel on a date to be fixed.