Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) stewards have finalised deliberations on penalty following analysts’ reports of the finding of pholcodine in the sample taken from Charming Lily after it won Race 1 at the Lismore meeting on 1 October 2013.
Consistent with the protocols established for dealing with such reports under the GRNSW Prohibited Substance Penalty System, trainer Donald Jarick was advised of the reports received from the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory and Racing Science Centre, Queensland, via written notification of the laboratory findings.
Upon advice from a GRNSW Integrity Officer of the irregularity, Mr Jarick advised that he had been using a preparation for kennel cough which contained pholcodine, which may have been responsible for a low level report from the laboratories.
Following alternate correspondence Mr Jarick pleaded guilty to a charge under
Gar 83 (2) (a) of having presented Charming Lily for the event other than free of any prohibited substance in that the urine sample taken from the greyhound after the event was found to contain pholcodine.
After GRNSW had considered submissions from Mr Jarick on penalty, a disqualification of five weeks was imposed, commencing on 14 March 2014 and expiring on 17 April 2014.
In considering penalty, stewards took into account such factors as Mr Jarick’s record of having no previous offence in more than ten years of registration as a trainer, a lack of evidence of any support for the greyhound on the day, the nature of the substance involved, Category 5, and the very low level reported, his guilty plea and admissions in determining the possible source of the reports.
Notwithstanding those factors, a measure of general deterrence is implied in the circumstances whereby an administration of a preparation containing a prohibited substance had been admitted.
Under Gar 83 (4), Charming Lily was disqualified from the event in question and the placings amended accordingly.
