news Result of a Hearing held by the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) Disciplinary Panel

Samantha Wallin – Awesome Freddie

On 5^th August 2019 the Disciplinary Panel held a Hearing to consider whether Miss Samantha Wallin was in breach of Rules 8.1 and 8.5 of the Rules and Regulations of Retraining of Racehorses concerning the presence of Prohibited Substances in a sample of blood taken from Awesome Freddie at Hickstead on 23rd June 2019 .

The Disciplinary Panel considered the documentation and submissions of Miss Samantha Wallin who was present, and also an admission on her part that she was in breach of Rules 8.1 and 8.5.

Having considered the matter the Panel accepted her admission and concluded that she was in breach of Rules 8.1 and 8.5 of the Rules and Regulations of Retraining of Racehorses in that a sample of blood was taken from Awesome Freddie at Hickstead on 23^rd June 2019 following the participation of the horse in the RoR Class that day and that sample tested positive for the presence of phenylbutazone, oxyphenylbutazone, acepromazine and HEPS, which are Prohibited Substances as defined in the RoR Rules and Regulations .

Having carefully considered the evidence and submissions of Miss Samantha Wallin in connection with penalty, the Disciplinary Panel accepted that it was possible that the source of the acepromazine was the Sedalin given to Awesome Freddie on 18^th June 2019 as part of his shock wave therapy. The Panel recognised that the Sedalin had been administered on the cusp of the withdrawal period and therefore held that no financial penalty should be imposed for this element of the breach. The Panel also accepted that the source of the phenylbutazone and oxyphenalbutazone was the administration of Bute.

Credit was given for Miss Samantha Wallin's very early admission of the breach, the fact that no B sample was requested, her full co-operation throughout the matter and her attendance at the Hearing to give evidence.

However, the Panel recognised that it is a serious offence for a horse to compete with any Prohibited Substance in its system and the presence of Bute was a clear breach of the Rules. The Panel imposed the following penalties:

1. A fine of £500.00 payable within 14 days. The Chief Executive of RoR is authorised to agree a payment plan if requested in writing

1. An order that Awesome Freddie be disqualified from the class at Hickstead on 23rd June 2019, and any subsequent class for which he qualified as a result, with forfeiture of any placings, awards and prize money won

1. A caution as to future conduct to be placed on Miss Samantha Wallin's record for a period of two years

1. A declaration that RoR will not accept entries for Ex-racehorse Classes for Awesome Freddie until the fine imposed has been paid in full, save that entries will be permitted if payments are being made on time in accordance with the agreed payment plan.

Disciplinary Panel: David Morley (Chair), Bobby McEwen and Marion Begley