Greyhound racing: Inquiry into Aussie raider

Sweet It Is and Victorian owner-trainer Braden Finn after their Silver Collar victory at Manukau Park. Photo / Peter Fenemor

Star Victorian greyhound Sweet It Is has returned a positive swab from both her Plaster Board Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar heat and final victories at Manukau Park.

Australia's highest-earning stake earner has tested positive to caffeine.

Her heat sample (May 31) was taken pre-race, while her sample from the $80,000 final (June 7) was post-race. Sweet It Is lowered the Manukau 779m track record in both of her races and the win in New Zealand's most prestigious race took her career earnings to $819,420.

The Arch Lawrence, Cambridge trained Shandell was the Silver Collar runnerup, while her kennel mate and litter sister Teemaria finished fourth. Splitting the pair was the Angela Turnwald-prepared Extreme Twist.

Greyhound administrators are stunned by the positives but say they are not in a position to comment owing to the New Zealand Racing Integrity Unit's on-going investigations, which includes the opportunity of owner-trainer Braden Finn having the B sample tested.

Finn was visited by a New Zealand RIU official at his Victorian training base on Tuesday, when he wasn't able to offer an explanation to the positives at that stage. If found guilty, Finn is facing a disqualification of up to six months and/or a fine of up to $5000, while Sweet It Is will almost certainly be stripped of her Silver Collar title and track record.

Under the Greyhounds Australasia Rules, if Finn is found guilty after the investigation and is handed down a disqualification, the sentence will also be in effect in Australia.

Sweet It Is, who has now won six group one races, has also been scratched from her engagement in tonight's Listed Superstayers at Albion Park, with reserve runner Cyndie's Magic now gaining a start from box three in pursuit of the A$25,900 first prize.

Meanwhile, Kilchurn will start as an odds on favourite in tomorrow night's $26,000 NZ Breeders' Stakes at the Hatrick Raceway at group one level. The Glen Hodgson-trained greyhound easily won his 520m heat last Friday in 30.37s.

Maramarua Forest trainer Steve Clark produced Spud Missile to win the other heat in 30.48s, when he led throughout.

Lisa Ahern has qualified four finalists with Kissing Gwyneth being brave when she led Kilchurn until the shadows of the post before being swamped by a length by him.

Positive swab

• Champion Victorian greyhound Sweet It Is gave the locals a hiding in the Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar.

• That win is now in doubt after she tested positive to caffeine.

• Owner-trainer Braden Finn was nonplussed when approached for an explanation.