Racing: Date fixed for Small to face NSW stewards

Geoff Small. Photo / Paul Estcourt

South Auckland trainer Geoff Small will front a stewards' inquiry in Sydney on July 27 as he faces a potential ban for a positive swab returned by his star pacer Changeover.

Harness Racing New South Wales (HRNSW) chairman of stewards Michael Beattie confirmed the date of the hearing yesterday after discussions with the Patumahoe horseman.

Changeover returned a positive swab for the banned substance tranexamic acid, which is used to prevent bleeding by increasing clot formation, after his win in the group one Len Smith Mile at Menangle on April 26.

"We will open the inquiry on July 27 into the circumstances surrounding the reasons for the positive swab, then consider if any charges need to be laid," Beattie said.

If found guilty of administering a banned substance, Small could lose his trainer's licence and be fined, while Changeover could be disqualified and his large syndicate of owners stripped of the winner's share of the A$100,000 stake.

Small, who has refused to comment publicly on the positive swab, could apply to HRNSW stewards for permission to engage legal representation, Beattie said.

The onus will be on Small to provide evidence as to how or why the substance ended up in Changeover's system on raceday.

Changeover is not permitted to race until the hearing, Beattie told Small, in accordance with HRNSW rules.

The Len Smith Mile victory was his 26th win from 51 career starts, which have secured earnings of more than A$2 million.

It was believed to be the first time a standardbred had tested positive to tranexamic acid.

It was the subject of a high-profile case in England last month when the Queen's trainer Nicky Henderson was found guilty of presenting galloper Moonlit Path to run in the royal silks with tranexamic acid in his system.

Racing NSW stewards opened an inquiry on Thursday into the finding of tranexamic acid in a urine sample taken from the Peter Blanch-trained Cool Saab after he won at Broken Hill in March.

Following news of Changeover's positive swab, Harness Racing NZ this week requested the NZ Racing Laboratory to re-test the 24 urine samples taken from the Jewels meeting on May 30.

The move was ordered "to ensure no aspersions can be made as to the integrity of New Zealand feature races", HRNZ general manager Edward Rennell said.

FURTHER SAMPLES TO BE TESTED

Harness Racing Victoria is set to test further samples from champion pacer Changeover after his recent positive swab in New South Wales.

HRV have confirmed they will re-test samples taken after feature races earlier this season and may even go further back if required. Changeover raced extensively in Victoria over the summer, winning the Bendigo Cup in January.

It is expected his post-race swab from that race is one of several which will be re-tested.

- NZPA