Racing WA stewards have concluded their inquiry in relation to the report issued by the ChemCentre in Perth, that trendione, altrenogest and 17a-trenbolone had been detected in the urine sample taken from Premium Girl following it racing in, and winning, Race 9 at Pinjarra on 17 February 2024.
These findings had been verified by the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory (NSW).
At the inquiry conducted on 27 July 2024, after hearing evidence from Mr Triscari, ChemCentre representative Dr B Dorakumbura, Racing WA Head of Veterinary Services Dr J Medd and Racing WA Senior Steward Mr M Vickers, Mr Triscari pleaded guilty to the following charge:
AR 240(2) – Prohibited substance in sample taken from horse at race meeting.
Particulars
Particulars of the charge are that you, Mr Triscari were the licensed trainer of Premium Girl when it was brought to race at Pinjarra on 17 February 2024 where it raced in, and won, Race 9, with the prohibited substances trendione and 17a-trenbolone, being Prohibited List A substances, being detected in a post-race urine sample taken from it.
After adjourning to consider penalty, stewards determined to impose a fine of $10,000 for this offence.
In determining penalty, stewards considered, amongst other things.
- That Mr Triscari had an unblemished record after some 20 years of involvement and had pleaded guilty immediately to the charge.
- That the detected substances arose from the use of an altrenogest product which had been his common practice for some time after receiving advice from his veterinarian.
- That altrenogest was an exempted substance under the Rules. Commercial products containing altrenogest used for oestrus suppression in fillies and mares were known to potentially contain low level traces of trenbolone and/or trendione as impurities resulting from the manufacturing process.
- That a notice to trainers issued by Racing WA on 1 January stated, amongst other things:
Trainers are strongly warned that the use of altrenogest products in racing fillies and mares has the potential to result in a race day sample that is positive to trenbolone and/or trendione.
Racing WA therefore recommends that products containing altrenogest not be used during training or racing.
- That evidence confirmed that Mr Triscari had not received the SMS message sent to all trainers when the above notice was published online on 1 January 2024.
- That there was a relatively short space of time from when the notice was issued on 1 January to when the horse raced on 17 February for the recommendation not to use products containing altrenogest during training or racing to become widely known by industry.
It was found by stewards that were it not for all the factors in mitigation as referred to above, a term of disqualification would otherwise have been appropriate, as the use of altrenogest was now contrary to the recommendation not to use the product.
In determining penalty, the stewards stated:
“Having regard to the matters as discussed, we have determined that in your instance a fine of $10,000 is appropriate.
We make clear that this penalty is not intended to represent a long-term precedent as in our view disqualification would otherwise be appropriate in most instances of similar nature in the future.
As time elapses and trainers have more time to become aware of, appreciate and adjust to the recommendation not to use this product, penalties of disqualification are likely to result when these substances are detected as fines of this magnitude do not reflect the seriousness of such offending and are an insufficient level of deterrence in our view.”
Further, in relation to Premium Girl, stewards have determined as follows:
- AR 240 (1) – to disqualify Premium Girl from winning Race 4 at Pinjarra on 17 February 2024 with placings to be amended accordingly and commensurate implications to all stake money and payments to apply.
- AR 242 (b) – to disqualify Premium Girl from races it competed in since the taking of the sample on 17 February 2024 which include:
- Race 2 on 23 March 2024 at Ascot (third place)
- Race 5 on 18 May 2024 at Belmont (fifth place)
- Race 5 on 25 May 2024 at Belmont (seventh place)
Placings are to be amended accordingly, with commensurate implications to all stake money and payments to apply.
- AR 248 (4) – to direct that Premium Girl is not permitted to start in any race, official trial or jump-out for a period of not less than twelve months from the date of collection of the sample (17 February 2024) and until after an Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Clearing Certificate is provided in respect of a sample taken from the horse.
All trainers are reminded of the Racing WA industry notice which recommends that products containing altrenogest not be used during training or racing due to the potential for commercial products containing altrenogest used for oestrus suppression in fillies and mares to contain low level traces of trenbolone and/or trendione which may cause a positive swab.