CLAYTON Tonkin
yesterday became the
second Ballarat har
ness racing trainer to
be disqualified in the
"blue magic" saga.
Harness Racing Vic
toria stewards dis
qualified the Smythes
Creek-based Tonkin,
22, for 12 months and
fined him $10,000.
Stewards found him
guilty on four charges
of having presented
horses to race with the
prohibited substance
propantheline - an in
gredient of blue magic
- in their system.
Tonkin was disquali
fied for three months
and fined $2500 on each
of the charges.
Stewards ordered
the penalties be served
cumulatively.
The positive swabs
were taken from four
winners trained by
Tonkin: Mystic Vale at
Maryborough on Feb
ruary 6; Monaco Prince
at Bendigo on Feb
ruary 16; Soros at
Cranbourne on Feb
ruary 23; and Mystic
Vale at Terang on
April 21.
Stewards ordered
that the four horses be
disqualified from their
respective races and
the results be
amended.
Stewards considered
evidence from senior
stipendiary steward
Brant Dunshea, HRV
veterinary surgeon Dr
Richard Cust, Racing
Analytical Services
Limited laboratory di
rector Dr John Vine,
Clayton Tonkin and
his father Peter
Tonkin, who is also a
licensed trainer.
Stewards considered
a further submission
from solicitor Lloyd
Bryant and numerous
references pertaining
to Clayton Tonkin's
good character.
The stewards re
ported that in
determining the pen
alty they had taken
into account Tonkin's
forthright evidence to
the inquiry, his
genuine remorse, and
in terms of his age, his
limited life experience
and the likely impact
it would have on his
personal and working
life.
HRV stewards on
Monday disqualified
trainer Rod
Weightman, also of
Smythes Creek, for a
total of five years and
three months on seven
charges of having ad
ministered propan-
theline and then pres
enting the horses to
race.
Stewarts disquali
fied him for nine
months on each charge
and ordered that the
penalties be served
cumulatively.
Mildura harness rac
ing trainer Andrew
Vozlic was disqualified
for 12 months on Tues
day after he pleaded
guilty to one propan-
theline-related charge
arising from a swab
taken at Mildura on
February 27.