Latest News

Licensed Trainer John Sprague lodged an appeal against conviction and penalty after being found guilty by the stewards under AR178.

Following a steward’s inquiry on 3 January 2018, Mr Sprague was disqualified for a total of 12 months, thus allowing Mr Sprague to reapply for his trainers licence on 3 January 2019. This followed the detection of a prohibited substance in a pre-race sample taken from Saint Denis after that horse placed third in Race 3 the 1500m Maiden Plate run at Tuncurry Racecourse on 29 October 2017.

On application of the Appellant, which was not opposed by the stewards, the penalty imposed by the Stewards is stayed until further order of the panel. This appeal was heard on Thursday, 22, February 2018 at the office of Racing NSW  commencing at 9.30am.

The panel gave the following orders:

1. Appeal against conviction dismissed
2. Appeal against penalty confirmed
3. Penalty for breach of AR178 of a 12 month disqualification confirmed. Penalty to commence on 23 February 2018 and to expire on 23 February 2019 on which day Mr Sprague may re-apply for his licence. Acting under the provisions of AR196(6)(a)&(b) Mr Sprague was permitted to care for and exercise his horses for seven days, however he is not permitted to start a horse in a race during this period.
4. Appeal deposit forfeited