Trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have informed Racing Victoria stewards human error led to a horse from their stable returning a blood test containing a prohibited substance after winning a Sale maiden.
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Stewards have charged Maher and Eustace, who train in partnership, after a post-race blood sample taken from Piccatric on February 28 was found to contain diuretic Frusemide.
They face a charge under a rule that states that if a horse is taken to a racecourse to race and substance on prohibited list A and/or prohibited list B is detected in a sample taken from the horse before or following running in any race, the trainer and any other person in charge of the horse at any relevant time breaches these Australian rules of racing.
The charge will be heard before the Victorian Racing Tribunal on a date to be fixed.
Maher and Eustance, who have stables at Caulfield, Ballarat and Sydney, issued a statement in response to the charge.
It read in part: "Furosemide is a permitted treatment for racehourses subject to a withholding perior prior to race day, meaning that is a prohibited substance when detected in a sample on race day.
"Subsequent to notification of RV stewards, Ciaron Maher Racing conducted an internal review which led to a clear finding that human error has led the treatment of Piccatric with Furosemide instead of the intended horse, Stardayz. The review was provided to RV stewarda along with other ecidence.
"We accept the charge and will assist the VRT hearing. While the incident in regrettable, we are pleased the internal review as identified the exact cause and has led to implementation of improvements to strengthen our controls to prevent a reccurrence."
