Happy Sunrise Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Claim race horses drugged to win in attempt to frame trainer LUZ ZUNIGA/MARTIN DE RUYTER/STUFF Billy Badger, seen here winning the Nelson Pine Industries Winter Cup in Nelson last year, was one of three horses from stables operated by Robert Dunn that were drugged with performance enhancing drugs, including caffeine. Horses from one of New Zealand's leading harness racing stables must have been deliberately doped by an outside party, an appeal hearing in Auckland has heard. The claims emerged during an appeal into a $14,000 fine handed down to leading trainer Robert Dunn and his son John, after three of their horses returned positive drug tests for caffeine, at Nelson, last June. Robert Dunn, who operates the country's second most successful stable behind only the Mark Purdon - Natalie Rasmussen juggernaut, is adamant his trio was deliberately spiked with a powerful cocktail of easily detectable drugs to frame him. It is believed to be the country's first case of someone nobbling horses to win, not lose – if any of the horses won, post-race tests would inevitably reveal they had been doped and their trainer would be in the gun. DON SCOTT Robert Dunn, left, and son John were fined $14,000 after three horses returned positive drug tests But Dunn said the opportunity to prove foul play was lost when the Racing Integrity Unit stumbled in its investigation. At the centre of the claims is an incriminating phone call to a fellow Canterbury trainer informing him that the Dunn stable had three positive swabs coming from the two-day meeting. READ MORE: * Positive tests for caffeine see top harness racing stable cop $14,000 in fines * Harness stable under investigation, hefty penalties follow greyhound track brawl The caller, a former Dunn stable employee whose name was suppressed by appeal tribunal chairman Murray McKechnie, somehow knew that Rishi, Hayden's Meddle and Billy Badger, who won five races between them at the two-day meeting, would test positive even before officials knew of the breaches. Affidavits obtained by Dunn's private detective from the person called, and his father, pinned the date of the call down to June 18, just seven days after the meeting. Given the racing laboratory did not declare the presence of caffeine in the samples until July 4 and did not confirm it until July 6 – meaning the RIU did not even know the result – it was damning evidence. How could this person have known of the impending positives unless he had been involved in the nobbling or knew who was responsible? Dunn's counsel Paul Dale, who provided the RIU with this crucial information in October, and also alerted police, told the appeal tribunal he would have expected the RIU's first duty would be to confirm the date of the telephone call, which would have elevated the nobbling claim from suspicion to fact. But during its nine-month probe, racing's policing body never sought the telephone records of the man or the person he called. Instead the RIU interviewed the man who, represented by lawyer Murray Branch, was less than co-operative and declined to answer a number of questions. A senior Christchurch detective engaged by the RIU to review the case never quizzed the man or the person he called about the date and could not be persuaded by Dale of the importance of this discovery. "Yet here was an allegation of very serious criminal conduct," Dale told the tribunal. Chris Lange, appearing for the RIU, said it did not have the power to seek telephone records, but Dale told how he had recited to the detective sections of the Crimes Act that allowed for it. Dale followed up with the RIU in December but eventually was forced to file himself in the High Court for third-party discovery of the phone records. He wrote to Vodafone to get the records but after a lengthy delay, Vodafone replied that it no longer had them as six months had elapsed. Lange described as speculative the fact that further evidence may have strengthened the argument that a third party was responsible. The committee took into account that possibility by not ruling it out completely, Lange submitted, but noted that the CIB detective's review found the RIU's investigation to be "detailed, thorough and robust". Dale submitted that had the RIU more fully investigated the telephone call, and the caller been questioned in a formal hearing, motive might have been established. The Dunn camp has its own suspicions about why they were targeted but is adamant that – based on the excretion time of caffeine – the horses were doped at their stables at least 48 hours before they raced and before they travelled north. Lay advocate Leo Molloy, who acted for Dunn at the original hearing in March, says whoever was responsible knew what they were doing. The horses were hit with a powerful cocktail – caffeine, a stimulant, and phenylbutazone, a potent analgesic, designed to make them run faster and feel less pain. Both were high profile, easily detectable drugs. Rishi, Hayden's Meddle and Billy Badger were all found to have "bute" in their systems, but only one horse was marginally over the threshold and within the margin of error. Molloy, who negotiated for no charges to be laid over the painkiller, told the appeal tribunal the RIU's failure to pursue the telephone records was just one of a raft of "dead bodies" that it was keen to bury by agreeing to pursue just a $4000 fine. In his submissions, Dale pointed to the lengths Dunn went to try to prove his team was got at. Dunn calculates it has cost him close to $50,000, including legal and private detective fees and a new $20,000 camera surveillance system of his entire property. He also compensated the owners who lost winning stakes by remitting training fees. The damage to his business has been incalculable, he said. McKechnie, who reduced the fine to $7800, said it was not the tribunal's job to solve the nobbling mystery "but if the man who made the telephone call was in some way responsible it seems a foolish thing to do to advise people in advance". Also foolish was the phone text, which Dunn showed the chairman, from the same person who made the phone call, to one of Dunn's stable employees. Sunday Star-Times cannot name the trainer referred to, but it read: "Me and … will have the last laugh, whatever happens". - Sunday Star Times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted June 9, 2018 Author Share Posted June 9, 2018 Is this a case that is actually beyond the RIU and should be a full police matter? McKechnie, who reduced the fine to $7800, said it was not the tribunal's job to solve the nobbling mystery "but if the man who made the telephone call was in some way responsible it seems a foolish thing to do to advise people in advance". Bizarre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodlum Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Maybe Dale should have represented the Dunn's from the beginning rather than the lay person they chose? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 (edited) Surely it’s up to the Dunn’s to do their own dectitive work to prove their innocent? RIU has done their job, dished out penalty and they pleaded guilty , did they not? If somebody has other fantasy ideas what happened, why plead guilty? I like the this part. Dead bodies???. Anyone know what bute is? Fill me in, I see horses had just small amount in horses system. Obviously the nobbler thought he may just give a little, not a lot ?? Edited June 10, 2018 by Newmarket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brodie Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Dunn’s are innocent, as I have said all along! They are not as stupid to give their horses Caffeine when it is so easily to test for, unlike some other substances that can be masked! Dunn’s also don’t need to give illegal substances so their horses can win at Nelson. Caffeine would have bugger all improving properties for a racehorse, as I doubt humans would be drinking plenty of coffee or Coca Cola prior to a sporting event. The reason this case took too so long is that the RIU know that the Dunn’s themselves did not give the Caffeine and were set up. Newmarket, why did they plead guilty when they were innocent? Because although they didn’t administer Caffeine themselves they presented a horse to race with a banned substance, hence they had to plead guilty. The person that did give the horses the Caffeine should get a life ban as well as anyone else that was in on it!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turny Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Happy Sunrise said: Is this a case that is actually beyond the RIU and should be a full police matter? McKechnie, who reduced the fine to $7800, said it was not the tribunal's job to solve the nobbling mystery "but if the man who made the telephone call was in some way responsible it seems a foolish thing to do to advise people in advance". Bizarre. If true it shows how micky mouse the RIU are. A ludicrous statement. Feel sorry for the Dunns Edited June 10, 2018 by Turny 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 57 minutes ago, Newmarket said: they pleaded guilty They pleaded guilty to the presenting charge. Never doing it. Big difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Sorry, I need convincing. Too many iffs and butts for mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 23 minutes ago, Brodie said: Dunn’s are innocent, as I have said all along! They are not as stupid to give their horses Caffeine when it is so easily to test for, unlike some other substances that can be masked! Dunn’s also don’t need to give illegal substances so their horses can win at Nelson. Caffeine would have bugger all improving properties for a racehorse, as I doubt humans would be drinking plenty of coffee or Coca Cola prior to a sporting event. The reason this case took too so long is that the RIU know that the Dunn’s themselves did not give the Caffeine and were set up. Newmarket, why did they plead guilty when they were innocent? Because although they didn’t administer Caffeine themselves they presented a horse to race with a banned substance, hence they had to plead guilty. The person that did give the horses the Caffeine should get a life ban as well as anyone else that was in on it!!! Ha Ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 No convincing needed here. It is not about whether they did it or not. One just can't say they pleaded guilty to do it. In response to the position taken by the RIU the stance taken by the Appellants before the Committee was as follows: i They would accept the presenting charges. ii They would deny any responsibility for the presence of the prohibited substance in the four horses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Well, maybe not for you. But for me, I want to know who is responsible, because as far as I am concerned it’s just another dodgy thing that’s happened in harness. Dont worry thou, I have a feeling that the honest truth will come out in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 4 minutes ago, Newmarket said: it’s just another dodgy thing that’s happened in harness. Compared to? The gallops and greyhounds? What else is dodgy in harness? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 3 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said: Compared to? The gallops and greyhounds? What else is dodgy in harness? Happy, just look what has happened in Australia & nz over the years, it’s a bloody disgrace. Been so much crooked shit over the years, just think back to blue magic days. And before Brodie wanks on about no trainer would dope red hot fav, what a load of crap. If there’s money to be made, some will go to extremes to get it, regardless. So forgive me if I’m not so understanding as some seem to be. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterthepunter Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 3 minutes ago, Newmarket said: Happy, just look what has happened in Australia & nz over the years, it’s a bloody disgrace. Been so much crooked shit over the years, just think back to blue magic days. And before Brodie wanks on about no trainer would dope red hot fav, what a load of crap. If there’s money to be made, some will go to extremes to get it, regardless. So forgive me if I’m not so understanding as some seem to be. newmarkat what horse had bute in it??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterthepunter Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 8 minutes ago, hunterthepunter said: newmarkat what horse had bute in it??? just like the crap that whent on before the jewels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 9 minutes ago, hunterthepunter said: newmarkat what horse had bute in it??? I know most horses take this for inflammation issues, but was interesting that it was right on threshold. Why wasn’t the readings higher is somebody was serious about nobbling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 2 minutes ago, hunterthepunter said: just like the crap that whent on before the jewels Surely you can’t compare purdon case to this one with the Dunn’s?? Please, no no no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterthepunter Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 1 minute ago, Newmarket said: I know most horses take this for inflammation issues, but was interesting that it was right on threshold. Why wasn’t the readings higher is somebody was serious about nobbling? bute is to num pain if a horse is lame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 20 minutes ago, Newmarket said: Been so much crooked shit over the years, But that is racing, isn't it? Whatever code and anything to do with gambling is dodgy and crooked. The RIU and JCA have the same task as WADA which happens to be an impossible one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterthepunter Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 4 minutes ago, Newmarket said: Surely you can’t compare purdon case to this one with the Dunn’s?? Please, no no no. no not comparing but how da hell can horse win at jewels when lame start before and after the race 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Phone call means nothing. Just means that people knew what was going to happen, whoever those where? Be interested to see what ex employees think of all this, as all of a sudden it’s all pointing to them. Maybe they should get legal help, especially if they had nothing to do with it. Been some finger pointing going on over this, some not too happy about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 26 minutes ago, Newmarket said: And before Brodie wanks on about no trainer would dope red hot fav, what a load of crap. If there’s money to be made, some will go to extremes to get it, regardless. Has anyone come across information about the betting patterns on the races involved at Nelson? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 1 minute ago, hunterthepunter said: no not comparing but how da hell can horse win at jewels when lame start before and after the race Sorry, thought you meant the drug scenario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 2 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said: Has anyone come across information about the betting patterns on the races involved at Nelson? Not sure, but they were all red hot favs if I remember Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 6 minutes ago, Newmarket said: Been some finger pointing going on over this, some not too happy about it. . Who are 'some'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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