BALLARAT trainer Clayton Tonkin is facing a possible three-year ban from harness racing today for his involvement in the blue magic scandal.
Smythes Creek-based Tonkin will front a Harness Racing Victoria stewards inquiry this afternoon after four horses he trained returned swabs positive to the prohibited substance propantheline.
Rival trainer-driver Rod Weightman was disqualified for a record five years and three months on Monday for seven blue magic-related offences.
Weightman was disqualified for a period of nine months on each charge, meaning Tonkin is facing a possible three-year ban today.
The testing of reserve post-race urine samples detected positive swabs in four winners trained by Tonkin: Mystic Vale at Maryborough on February 6, Monaco Prince at Bendigo on February 16, Soros at Cranbourne on February
23 and Mystic Vale at Terang on April 21.
If Tonkin is found guilty, all four winners face being disqualified from their respective races and the placings amended accordingly.
Tonkin could also be ordered to repay all prize money won to Harness Racing Victoria within 14 days.
Meanwhile, Weightman has denied claims that he supplied blue magic to other trainers, including Tonkin.
"That's just rubbish," Weightman said.
"There's been names circulating as to who has been the supplier but to say it's me supplying it is rubbish."
Deceased New Zealand harness trainer Robert Asquith, who owned a property at Miners Rest, was yesterday named as the blue magic mastermind.
Asquith, due to face court in Christchurch on several blue-magic related charges, was last week found dead at his home.
Police said there was no suspicious circumstances.
Harness Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey said it was unclear how long Asquith was dealing blue magic but said his involvement with Weightman went back to November.