Veteran Scone trainer Stephen Jones has vowed to continue fighting 17 charges which were part of a three-and-a-half years disqualification he says will ruin his stable.
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Jones was found guilty last week by Racing NSW stewards on 21 charges relating to raceday treatments, incomplete medication records, and possession and use of banned or unregistered products.
He pleaded not guilty to 17 of the charges which covered nine alleged instances of raceday treatments and injections, mainly involving diuretic Diurex in late 2022. Trainers are not permitted to medicate horses a day before they race without the permission of stewards.
Jones has appealed those charges and been granted a stay to continue training.
He pleaded guilty to possessing and using injectable product Hemoplex, which contains cobalt salts, not keeping complete medication records and having an unregistered product (Dr Bells Drops). Those infractions brought a two-month suspension and fines.
Jones' partner and foreperson, Tracy Rodger, pleaded guilty to one of three related charges. She was found guilty on all three and handed a 10-month suspension.
Former foreman, David Kelly, assisted Racing NSW in their investigation and pleaded guilty to 16 charges covering raceday treatments. He received an 18-month ban.
Jones, who started training in 1981, said the stable used diuretics in conjunction with trackwork but not during prohibited raceday periods.
"I won't go back on that," Jones said of the not guilty pleas.
"I've had 40 years in the game and have never gone not guilty before, never, because I've copped all the treatment I can possibly cop.
"There were a couple of errors in our treatment book. It wasn't spot on at all. If anything, I'm guilty of not keeping proper records.
"I pleaded guilty to Hemoplex, which has got a bit of cobalt in it and which the vet told me to use off a blood count. And I pleaded guilty to Dr Bells, which is an old treatment for colic. I copped them on the chin and $7000 for that."
Jones was devastated by the ban, which was the first time has has been found guilty of such offences.
He has 37 horses in work at Scone, where he has been based for the past seven years after moving from Queensland. At 67, Jones feared the ban could end his business.
"I just feel really let down by the racing world because I've put my life into it and millions into the game, and it's just as if it was a one-act affair," he said.
"If you get any sort of time, that's it, because you lose your owners.
"I've been under pressure. For the last 12 months, we haven't slept, Tracy and me. It's led to a lot of issues. We've lost staff, we've lost horses.
"I've put my life into it and I don't deserve the way I've been treated."
Craig Kerry
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
