BRENDAN CORMICK

Currie appeared at the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission yesterday and left feeling upbeat about the ongoing investigation into alleged race day treatment at one of his stabling complexes during the past month. “I had a meeting with them today which I thought was very positive. Hopefully we’ll have it all cleared up,” Currie said. “I’ve been saying the whole way through that I haven’t done anything wrong and that’s what will come out I guess. Obviously it’s ongoing so it’s tricky to know what to say.”

Currie’s father Mark has had his trainer’s licence suspended while he faces 12 charges of race day treatment of horses on April 7 and four of improper practice. Two stable hands employed by Ben Currie were stood down on April 13 as the QRIC delved deeper into possible breaches of the rules of racing.

Questions were also asked of Currie by stewards about the improved performance of With A Promise, shock winner of the Tails Stakes at Doomben. Backed from $61 into $19, With A Promise produced a dramatic form reversal, having beaten one runner home in two starts leading into the race.

“She was third-up from a spell, stepped up to a mile (1600m) and was suited by a heavy track,” Currie explained. “I would have told the stewards on the day but I had to get the other horse into a truck and get it home.”

The other horse was Amanaat, who incurred ghastly injuries by smashing his head against the metal partition between his and an adjoining barrier stall while wrestling a barrier attendant on Saturday.

“The damage was slightly better than first thought. He has fractured his jaw but it will not require wiring,” Currie said.

“He lost several teeth and received cuts and bruising. He needed some antibiotics and something for the pain and we’ll keep him at the stables and look after him for the next few weeks.”

Currie said the difficulty may centre on getting the talented sprinter to eat initially.

Originally with David Hayes and Tom Dabernig in 2016 and a winner on debut at Pakenham for the training partnership, Amanaat has won a further seven races from nine starts for Currie.

Currie hopes he can get Amanaat back racing toward the end of winter.