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Racing NSW Stewards on Saturday, 12th April 2025, conducted an inquiry into a breath sample provided by Licenced Jockey Kacie Adams prior to her riding engagement at the Gosford race meeting on Thursday, 10th April 2025.

Ms Adams was randomly tested in accordance with Racing NSW’s drug and alcohol policy.

The initial breath sample returned a positive reading for alcohol. A second confirmatory test returned a Blood Alcohol Concentration above the permitted threshold as defined under AR136(1)(f).

Ms Adams pleaded guilty to a charge under AR139(1)(a) in that, prior to her riding engagement at Gosford Racecourse on Thursday, 10th April 2025, she did provide a sample of her breath in which Alcohol, which is a banned substance under AR136(1)(f), was detected above the relevant threshold level.

After considering submissions made by Ms Adams with regard to penalty, Stewards determined that a suspension of Ms Adams’ licence for a period of 3 months was appropriate.

However, after taking into consideration Ms Adams’ guilty plea and other relevant matters, the suspension period was reduced to a period of 2 months.

Accordingly, Ms Adams’ licence was suspended for a period to commence on Monday, 14th April 2025, and to expire on Saturday, 14th June 2025, on which day she may resume riding duties.

Ms Adams was advised that should she undertake an appropriate level of alcohol counselling Stewards will vary such penalty to a suspension of her licence to ride in races only, permitting her to resume riding trackwork on 14th May 2025.

Relevant Rules
AR 139 Offences where riders use banned substances
(1) A rider breaches these Australian Rules if:
 (a) a banned substance under AR 136(1) is detected in a sample taken from the rider;

AR 136 Banned substances in relation to riders
(1) Unless otherwise stated in these Australian Rules, the following substances and/or their metabolites, artefacts and isomers are specified as banned substances in riders when detected in a urine sample at a concentration above the respective threshold level:
 (f) alcohol (at a blood alcohol concentration in excess of 0.02% on a breath analysing instrument).

- J.B. Marshall (Stipendiary Steward-Racing NSW)