Stewards Charge Trainer Karakatsanis: Racing.Com 9/20/16

By: racing.com Staff

NSW trainer Con Karakatsanis has found himself in trouble with the stewards following an incident involving Howmuchdoyouloveme at Randwick on Saturday.

The sprinter was scratched from the Group 2 The Shorts after Racing NSW senior vet Craig Suann found a soft swelling on his neck during a pre-race inspection which he described as being ‘indicative of a puncture to the jugular vein’.

Racing NSW stewards immediately ordered the scratching of the horse and then confiscated the trainer’s mobile phone. A further stable inspection by stewards found unlabelled substances, which have been sent to the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory for analysis.

Stewards issued two charges against Karakatsanis:

• AR175(g) – Providing false evidence at a stewards’ inquiry on 17 September, 2016; and
• AR80E – Having in his possession at his premises substances that had not been registered in compliance with relevant State and Commonwealth legislation.

Stewards are now considering suspending Karakatsanis’ training license as investigations continue, a provision that exists under Australian Rule of Racing 8(z).

Karakatsanis was found guilty by Victoria’s Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board in January, 2013 over five charges relating to the alleged attempted stomach tubing of Howmuchdoyouloveme on November 3, 2012, and suspended for nine months.