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Racing NSW Stewards conducted an inquiry into the analyst's finding of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) in a post-race urine sample taken from Sanctified at the Rosehill Gardens race meeting on 18 January 2025.

Evidence was taken from Mr Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, trainers of Sanctified, Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory (ARFL) Quality Manager Ms Nicole Hudson and Racing NSW Official Veterinary Officer Dr Rose Bensley.

The evidence was unable to conclusively establish how dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) was found to be present in the sample.

Charge – AR240(2) - Prohibited substance in sample taken from horse at race meeting

The details of the charge being that the Training Partnership of Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou did present Sanctified to race in Race 1 at the Rosehill Gardens race meeting on 18 January 2025 and a post-race urine sample taken from the colt was found to contain the prohibited substance dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) above the residue limit.

Plea: Guilty

Penalty

Stewards considered the following matters in respect to penalty:

1. Guilty plea
2. Co-operation throughout the investigation and inquiry
3. Personal and professional circumstances
4. The stables practice of administering DMSO over a significant period of time
5. Principles of specific and general deterrence and what message is sent to the industry in respect to such conduct
6. Purpose of issuing penalties as a protective measure for the image and interests of the Thoroughbred Racing Industry.

The Partnership was fined the sum of $6000, reduced from $8,000 for guilty plea and other relevant consideration.

Sanctified

Under the provisions of AR240(1) Stewards disqualified Sanctified from its 3rd placing in Race 1 (2yo Handicap, 1100m) conducted at Rosehill Gardens on 18 January 2025 and amended the placings to read:

1st - 6. Wodeton
2nd - 1. The Magic Man
3rd - 11. Sheeza Diva
4th - 10. Sequel
5th - 5. Splash Of Steel

Relevant Rules

AR 240 Prohibited substance in sample taken from horse at race meeting

(1) Subject to subrule (3), if a horse is brought to a racecourse and a prohibited substance on Prohibited List A and/or Prohibited List B is detected in a sample taken from the horse prior to or following its running in any race, the horse must be disqualified from any race in which it started on that day.

(2) Subject to subrule (3), if a horse is brought to a racecourse for the purpose of participating in a race and a prohibited substance on Prohibited List A and/or Prohibited List B is detected in a sample taken from the horse prior to or following its running in any race, the trainer and any other person who was in charge of the horse at any relevant time breaches these Australian Rules.

- Tom Moxon (Racing NSW Chairman of Stewards)