Benjamin Smith

linghi11 wrote:

TJMitchell wrote:

linghi11 wrote:

Maybe it’s time to publish what EDD tested positive to, as we may like an explanation why they are willing to let it compete with a positive to substance(s) that may give it longer-term improved performance.

No idea what it was but I'm pretty sure it tested negative on a re-test and that is why they allowed it to trial the other day and race again

There are substances that still have an effect after they test negative- we now have a year off for anabolic steroids and there should be a stand down time for EPO-style drugs

Agree- this I think actually is more of a deterrent than mandatory penalties... horse can’t run, lose owners, can’t be transferred to other trainers... lots of implications far worse gab suspension or DQ can provide

Prominent trainer’s phone probed
Phone records of trainers have been crucial in finding breaches in race rules
Phone records of trainers have been crucial in finding breaches in race rules
BRENDAN CORMICK

12:00AM SEPTEMBER 26, 2018
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A prominent NSW trainer is one of a handful of people to have surrendered their mobile phones to stewards for forensic analysis as a probe that started in Newcastle stretched to Sydney.

The metropolitan trainer is among several licensed persons currently assisting stewards with their inquiry into irregularities returned by two winners prepared by Ben Smith that have since been confirmed as have exceeded permitted levels of cobalt.

Marc Van Gestel, Racing NSW’s chairman of stewards, said it would be unfair to reveal identities until such time as somebody was charged under the Australian Rules of Racing.

“All I can say is that we have, as a result of the inquiry, asked that a number of licensees provide their mobile phones for forensic research,” Van Gestel said.

“We have spoken to some persons of interest in the past few days and we’re still conducting interviews.

“Last week, a person named Neil Costello, a trotting trainer, was warned off having left an interview midway through without providing evidence we required.”

Racing NSW have requested Harness Racing NSW reciprocate and enforce the ban which prevents Costello from entering a thoroughbred racecourse or training facility. He cannot have an ownership interest in a thoroughbred or bet on one with a registered wagering operator.

Smith, who was the trainer of In Her Time and El Dorado Dreaming — winner of The Galaxy and the ATC Sires’ Produce respectively in the autumn — had his licence suspended indefinitely on September 11.

He allegedly refused to provide answers to stewards after they discovered unlabelled, unregistered or unidentifiable substances during a raid of his stables, residence and motor vehicle.

A mobile phone and lap-top computer were confiscated for forensic examination.

Smith was charged with providing false evidence, to which he entered a guilty plea. He refused to provide evidence relating to the mystery substance and where he got it from. He chose not to enter a plea relating to that charge.

Stewards determined Smith’s continued participation posed an unacceptable risk to, and could prejudice or undermine the image, interests or integrity of racing industry.

Cobalt positives have been confirmed from two winners Smith saddled up in late August.

Out of competition samples were taken from six horses and the results are yet to be made available.

Samples obtained from In Her Time and El Dorado Dreaming from the autumn carnival Group I wins are stored away at Racing NSW. They have already been tested for cobalt and cleared.

Fresh testing of those samples would be contingent upon the unidentified substance being something not already screened for.

Racing NSW can screen for thousands of substances — prohibited and permissible, performance-enhancing or therapeutic.

“It would depend on what the analysis of the unidentified substances shows. For instance, if that analysis shows that there is a substance not previously tested for, we’d certainly go back and retrospectively look at those samples,” Van Gestel said.

“Given what we know so far, there is no intention to do so.”

MORE PHONES SEIZED SENSATIONAL TWIST TO SMITH COBALT DRAMA

September 27, 2018 3:29 pm

A WARNED off harness racing figure is the central figure in a dramatic twist to the Ben Smith doping inquiry.

Sydney stewards yesterday seized phones from a number of trainers – believed to be four – after examination of information, presumably texts and phone calls, on the mobile of Smith, who faces a stewards inquiry into positive cobalt tests to two of his horses.

Racing NSW chief steward Mark Van Gestel confirmed harness identity Neil Costello was believed to be linked to the trainers whose phones had been seized for forensic testing. Costello is also believed to be connected to the Smith cobalt positives.

Van Gestel said the names of the trainers would not be revealed because none had been charged with an offence. “If they are charged with an offence then they will be named,” he said.

“Unbridled” believes the trainers include a prominent Group One trainer and a leading NSW provincial trainer.

Stewards raided Smith’s stables on September 11 and seized a number of items, including un-labelled bottles. Smith, who pleaded guilty to lying to stewards over the source of the bottles, was suspended immediately.

Van Gestel said examination of the phones taken yesterday would be completed only after Smith’s phone had been fully examined.

He did not speculate how long that would take.

BY: Matt Stewart – RSN Racing Edito

Lost in the magical world of racing. Storm Siren, Sirens Star, Elpis & Wait For It.

OH FF$. If you cant handle the heat get out of the kitchen. Poor diddums. He was stressed. Wacko

Most trainers are .

animals before people.

So how is it that Darren Smith and disqualified Sam Kavanagh were seen as large as life at the Sydney Inglis Classic Sale which is held on Warwick Farm Racecourse. I thought if you were disqualified you were not to walk onto a racecourse?

Maybe the Inglis complex is not classed as being on the racecourse.

Where's the SPCA? The levels found in his horses? is this not an animal cruelty case? surely?

skippy123 wrote:

Bonjour wrote:

Where's the SPCA? The levels found in his horses? is this not an animal cruelty case? surely?

In whose horses? Smith or Kavanagh?
Smith’s were in the thousands (like O’Sullivans), Sam K’s were not

But Sam K, threw everything at them, including something new Exon Gas (or something like that)

monty1 wrote:

skippy123 wrote:

Bonjour wrote:

Where's the SPCA? The levels found in his horses? is this not an animal cruelty case? surely?

In whose horses? Smith or Kavanagh?
Smith’s were in the thousands (like O’Sullivans), Sam K’s were not

But Sam K, threw everything at them, including something new Exon Gas (or something like that)

Who cares how high his readings were with 23 charges he's an habitual offender , should be NO mercy !!!..fcuk him.

linghi11 wrote:

monty1 wrote:

skippy123 wrote:

Bonjour wrote:

Where's the SPCA? The levels found in his horses? is this not an animal cruelty case? surely?

In whose horses? Smith or Kavanagh?
Smith’s were in the thousands (like O’Sullivans), Sam K’s were not

But Sam K, threw everything at them, including something new Exon Gas (or something like that)

Xenon?

Yes, that too.

It is not fake news, they were both there.

Edited by Gay3 - 15 Feb 2019 at 1:10pm

Embalming fluid apparently found in an In Her Time sample Confused

Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!

If he’s putting sh#t like that into his horses, how long til one goes down and a jockey is killed. What is going on in QLD?

linghi11 wrote:

*NSW

Ahhh, sorry, NSW

I think cheats is too polite a word, fraudsters better, once proven an industry fraudster should always carry that stigma, as a warning to others.......there is no worse a feeling that standing in the runner up stall only to see a leering, cheering fraudster next to you in the winners stall. I derided Weir, torn apart by some and this was well before he was ''outed''......his track record was appalling, that nervous laugh when he was starting his 'fabulous' run became a supercilious leer........Kavanagh Junior and Ben Smith the same, there is another bloke north that has the same MO......he hasn't gone down yet, his lawyer is the best by far, but surely if Karma and the judiciary collide the explosion will be akin to the black hole.....surely.