August 17, 2018
Darryl Gardiner, the Bundaberg trainer who headed the South East Country Racing Association winner’s list for the season just completed, has been sidelined by QRIC stewards for a year.
The official August 2, 2018 report from the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission is reproduced below:
“Stewards today concluded an inquiry into the analyst’s findings in relation to a urine sample taken from Time Out when that horse was presented to race at the Monto Race Club on April 7, 2018. The finding indicated the presence of the prohibited substance, cobalt. Trainer Mr Darryl Gardiner pleaded not guilty to a charge under AR 178, which reads: Subject to AR.178G, when any horse that has been brought to a racecourse for the purpose of engaging in a race and a prohibited substance is detected in any sample taken from it prior to or following its running in any race, the trainer and any other person who was in charge of such horse at any relevant time may be penalized.
“The specifics of the charge being that: Mr Darryl Gardiner, as the trainer of the thoroughbred, Time Out, brought that gelding to Monto Race Club on April 7, 2018 for the purpose of engaging in the Class 3 1200 metres, and a urine sample taken from the gelding, upon analysis, was found to contain cobalt above the threshold set out in AR 178C(1)(l).
“Stewards found Mr Gardiner guilty and submissions were considered in relation to penalty, which included Mr Gardiners’ disciplinary history including three prior convictions under this rule during a 44 year career as a trainer. Consideration was given to previous penalty precedents relating to cobalt cases, the need for penalties to act as a deterrent for racing participants and the detrimental effect that positive samples have on the image of racing. Stewards also took into account that the findings indicated a reading of cobalt more than double the permitted threshold.
“Mr Gardiner was disqualified for a period of 12 months commencing August 9, 2018, and to conclude at midnight August 9, 2019. Under the provisions of AR177, Time Out was disqualified from its win at Monto on the above mentioned date and the placings amended below: Monto April 7, 2018 – Class 3 1200m 1st High Call, 2nd Vancouver Star, 3rd Great Grats, 4th Emperor Maximilian, 5th Walshie.”
Gardiner, whose charge Miss Sabatini scored at Gladstone on August 11, has four acceptors for this weekend’s Gympie program.
I believe he has lodged an appeal.
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W For Winx, Z For Zoe
There is no doubt that Winx is the reigning champion Australian thoroughbred – the mare has earned the accolade. However, it is like comparing pebbles with marshmallows when some exhuberant enthusiasts put her on the “best ever” pedestal.
Different eras involve all manner of different conditions.
The definitive way of assessing relative merit would be the staging of a live match between contenders.
If Black Caviar and Winx met in a best of three series with, say, one of the heats in England, the outcome could be quite telling.
Of course, it is never going to happen. The debate over the distances selected would be probematic to start with.
Oh, that’s right, they have been stellar in different categories.
Let’s look at John Tait’s mare Zoe for a moment.
Reportedly, in 1859, 35,000 Flemington patrons watched her beat all bar Flying Buck in what was the first of a series of inter-colonial Championships over three miles.
The three-year-old winner carried 6.8 and the aged runner-up a hefty 10.1, a difference of 35 pounds.
In September 1860, around 20,000 turned out for the Championship renewal at Randwick, and this time Zoe prevailed.
The following year, The Grange course at Ipswich was the venue and Zoe scored again.
The added money was twice that of the southern offerings and superior to the purse for that year’s inaugural Melbourne Cup.
The Sir Hercules mare is also on the honour roll for the AJC Handicap’s 1858 edition.
This race has had many names. From 1851 to 1922 it was decided over three miles. It has since morphed into the ultra-rich ATC Queen Elizabeth Stakes over a mere 2,000 metres.
Will Winx make it a hat-trick in 2019 in this modern era Championship event ?
Would interstate journeys taken 150 years ago or the international flights of today be the more arduous travel demand on equine travellers?
To help you with the question, the story goes that The Barber, an unplaced South Australian runner in the aforementioned Flemington Championship, had a close shave when the “Admella” was wrecked on Carpenter’s Reef off Mount Gambier on his way to Melbourne.
He swam a few miles to shore and after recovering, was then walked overland from Mount Gambier to Geelong, and finally went by train to the Victorian capital.
By the way, Zoe’s dam, Flora McIvor, happens to figure on the maternal side of a grand globetrotting performer in Strawberry Road.
