Gai Waterhouse was fined $2000 following the inquiry into the race day treatment of Tres Blue prior to the running of the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5.
Tres Blue, above, was the centre of the the Melbourne Cup day treatment inquiry. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Racing Victoria stewards were advise on Melbourne Cup morning the Tres Blue had been treated with Flamazine, a cream for greasy heel, which contravened the AR 178E (1) that prohibits any treatment on the day a horse is to race.
After originally being charged under this rule, the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary (RAD) Board amended it to an alternative charge of negligent after it was ascertained that a stable hand had administered the cream without Waterhouse’s permission.
The new charge under AR 175(k) states: The Committee of any Club or the Stewards may penalise: Any person, who has committed a breach of the Rules, or whose conduct or negligence has led or could have led to a breach of the Rules, resulting in a $2000 fine.
On race day stewards acted on advice from their veterinary surgeon that the treatment Tres Blue received was drug free and the import was allowed to run in the Melbourne Cup before finishing near the tail of the field behind Waterhouse’s first Cup winner Fiorente.
“There were no prohibitive substances in the treatment therefore we are comfortable that the horses are being presented drug free,” chief steward Terry Bailey said on Melbourne Cup day.
“Mrs Waterhouse said it was some treatment for a bit of greasy heel which is probably at the minor end of the scale, but medication on race day is not permissible. As I said we are satisfied that the horses are here drug free and that’s why they are taking their place in the field.”
“It comes down to the circumstances that we are dealing with. In our view these are minor end of the scale when it comes to race day treatments. It’s is not as if there is any suggestions that any are being needled or stomach tubed or some of the more serious offences which would lead to probably a horse being scratched.”
French trainer Mikel Delzangles was also fined $2000 for treating his Melbourne Cup runner Dunaden on race morning with an anti-ulcer treatment.
