I refer to your article printed on Friday 11th October, whereby a horse (ORLANDO MAGIC) was found to be positive with a prohibited substance, namely TESTOSTERONE – the Inquiry Board duly imposed a fine of R45 000 on the trainer – the race in question was the 3rd race run at the Vaal on 16 May 2013.
The horse who ran 2nd in the said race, (named The Good Life), is owned in partnership by myself. Now spot the error. Neither myself, nor my partners, have been advised of such as at today – we read it in your newspaper! It gets worse. The Good Life has been made a one time winner and can no longer run in a Maiden Plate .
So without effectively winning a race, we (the partners) cannot recoup the winnings that we would have received if she had won that race. But anyone that backed the horse in question may KEEP THEIR WINNINGS? So we merely get the crumbs -the stake cheque (which we are waiting for with bated breath).
So who has been punished? The connections of the horse in question (and the public) keep their winnings, our horse must now run against winners WITHOUT WINNING A RACE, unlike the horse in question. which won a race but after being disqualified, can still run against MAIDENS. We now must retire The Good life as she cannot beat a field of winners, as for Orlando Magic, she ran on Saturday as if nothing had happened.
These ‘’NEW RULES’’ incentivise an owner like myself to break the ‘’doping laws’’ – insert a proibitive substance into my beloved filly, back her to win a fortune, give the stake money back and also pay the R45,000 (if caught) and walk away with a forune in winnings, which due to the ‘’RULES’’ do not have to return my winnings! I as a LIFE MEMBER of racing, am sick and tired of us owners taking a back seat due to the autocratic decisions made by the select few.
Allan Preddy – via email
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Ed Note: This letter was originally addressed to The Citizen newspaper. The relevant press release issued by the NHA,and published by ourselves on 8 October 2013, is shown hereunder.
Press Release: NHA
The National Horseracing Authority confirms that an Inquiry was held in Johannesburg on Friday, 4 October 2013. Trainer Mr P F Matchett was charged with a contravention of Rule 73.2.4 in that he was the Trainer responsible for the horse ORLANDO MAGIC who ran in and won the 3rd race at Vaal Racecourse on 16 May 2013, after which a urine specimen taken from this horse disclosed, upon analysis, the presence of Testosterone, which is a prohibited substance in terms of the Rules of The National Horseracing Authority. Mr Matchett pleaded guilty to and was found guilty of the charge. The Inquiry Board imposed a penalty of a fine of R45000,00.
Mr Matchett has the right of appeal against the penalty imposed. Furthermore in terms of Rule 72.3.2 ORLANDO MAGIC is disqualified from this race and the stake monies are to be returned for re-distribution in terms of Rule 67.7.8.
