Trainer Mark Riley facing more drug drama after revelation of Grand Gallop positive test in December
By: Matt Stewart
TRAINER Mark Riley faces a second drug drama as he attempts to save his career.
Riley, who will attempt to fight a three-year ban at the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal on Monday, is being investigated over his horse Grand Gallop’s positive drug test to a banned anti-inflammatory.
Grand Gallop returned a urine test irregularity to Meloxicam after it won at Sandown last December. Riley was made aware of the irregularity on February 6 and told of the confirmed positive test on Friday.
Riley was disqualified for three years last Monday by the Racing And Appeals Board after one of Riley’s horses, Gold For Kev, retuned illegal levels of bicarbonate in July last year.
In a dramatic race against time on Tuesday, Riley first sought a Supreme Court injunction against the penalty, and was denied, before successfully gaining a stay of proceedings at a night VCAT hearing.
Racing Victoria stewards later issued a statement expressing their disappointment at the VCAT ruling.
The stay means Riley retained his role as trainer of Of The Brave, a leading chance in Saturday’s $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield.
Had he not gained a temporary reprieve from VCAT — and had he not removed Of The Brave from his property — stewards would have scratched the colt from the Diamond.
Riley will attempt to have his disqualification quashed at VCAT, where he will argue there were errors in the stewards’ argument presented to the RAD board.
