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Racing NSW Stewards opened an inquiry into an analyst’s findings relative to a urine sample provided by licensed stablehand Ms Emily Bate at Tamworth Racecourse on Tuesday, 5 November 2024.
On Tuesday, 5th November 2025, Ms Bate was stood down after making admissions to taking a banned substance under the rules the day prior.
Stewards subsequently received the certified findings from the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory (ARFL) that the urine sample which she provided was found, upon analysis, to contain a banned substance under AR137(1), greater than the cut-off.
A brief of evidence was tendered and evidence was taken from Ms Bate. Stewards considered the evidence and issued a charge under AR140(1)(a) as detailed below:
Charge: AR140(1) Offences where horse handlers use banned substances
The details of the charge being that licensed stablehand and barrier attendant Ms Emily Bate did provide a sample of her urine on the afternoon of 5th November 2024 at Tamworth Racecourse, which was found upon analysis to contain a banned substance under AR137(1), greater than the cut-off.
Plea: Guilty
Finding: Guilty
Penalty
The following penalty considerations were taken into account:
- Cooperation and guilty plea was entered at the earliest opportunity,
- Contrition shown by Ms Bate and her willingness to accept responsibility for the breach.
- Personal and professional circumstances,
- Purpose of issuing penalties as a protective measure for the image, interests and welfare of the Thoroughbred racing industry.
Stewards determined that Ms Bate’s licence should be suspended for a period of 4 months. Having regard to her guilty plea and other relevant considerations, Stewards varied the penalty to 3 months to commence on 5 November 2024, the day she was stood down, and to expire on 5 February 2025 on which day she may resume duties.
Ms Bate was notified that in accordance with AR140(4), she will be required to provide a urine sample free from any substances banned by AR137(1), prior to being permitted to resume duties.
Ms Bate was advised of her appeal rights.
Relevant Rule
Division 6 – Banned substances offences for riders and horse handlers
AR 137 Banned substances in relation to horse handlers
(1) Unless otherwise stated in these Australian Rules, the following substances and/or their metabolites, artefacts and isomers are specified as banned substances in horse handlers when detected in a urine sample at a concentration above the threshold level in brackets immediately next to the identified banned substance:
(c) cannabinoids (11-Nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid) (15µg/L))
AR 140 Offences where horse handlers used banned substances
(1) A horse handler breaches these Australian Rules if:
(a) a banned substance under AR 137(1) is detected in a sample taken from the horse handler
(4) If a horse handler incurs a penalty or is prevented by the Stewards from handling horses under this rule, the horse handler cannot resume handling horses until the period of the penalty has expired and a sample from the horse handler free of any banned substance under AR 137(1) has been delivered, as directed by the Stewards.
- Jack Prior (Chief Steward Hunter & North-West Racing Association, Racing NSW)
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