STEWARDS DECISION
OFFICE OF RACING INTEGRITY
and
TAMMY LANGLEY
Decision Date: 26.06.24
Stewards Panel: Neil Finnigan (Chair); Roger Brown, Michael Castillo.
Respondent: Tammy Langley.
Rule: Australian Harness Rules of Racing
AHR Rule 190(1)
Charge 1: Tammy Langley, being the trainer of LORIMERTYRRELL, did present the horse to race at the Burnie Pacing Club’s meeting held on Friday 27 October 2023, when a urine sample taken from LORIMERTYRRELL, upon analysis was found to contain the prohibited substance aminorex.
Plea: Guilty
Inquiry Decision: $2500 Fine
Charge 2: Tammy Langley, being the trainer of SNEAKY PEAK, did present the horse to race at the Launceston Pacing Club’s meeting held on Sunday 17 December 2023, when a urine sample taken from SNEAKY PEAK, upon analysis was found to contain the prohibited substance aminorex.
Plea: Guilty
Inquiry Decision: $2500 Fine
Charge 3: Tammy Langley, being the trainer of RACKEMUP TIGERPIE, did present the horse to race at the lTasmanian Trotting Club’s meeting held on Sunday 28 January 2024, when a urine sample taken from RACKEMUP TIGERPIE, upon analysis was found to contain the prohibited substance aminorex.
Plea: Guilty
Inquiry Decision: $4000 Fine
Charge 4: Tammy Langley, being the trainer of IMA SOCIALITE, did present the horse to race at the Launceston Pacing Club’s meeting held on Friday 2 February 2024, when a urine sample taken from IMA SOCIALITE, upon analysis was found to contain the prohibited substance aminorex.
Plea: Guilty
Inquiry Decision: $4000 Fine
“A horse shall be presented for a race free of prohibited substances”
“A horse shall be presented for a race free of prohibited substances”
“A horse shall be presented for a race free of prohibited substances”
“A horse shall be presented for a race free of prohibited substances”
3.1.1 Penalties are designed to punish the offender for their wrongdoing. Penalties are not meant to be retributive in the sense that the punishment is disproportionate to the offence, but the offender must be met with a punishment.
3.1.3 Penalties imposed upon those offending the prohibited substance rules should reflect the industry’s disapproval of drugs being detected in horses.
3.2.1 The Stewards have resolved to approach the matter of penalty from the perspective of the desirability of consistency with previous penalties in dealing with similar offenders committing similar offences in similar circumstances.
5.1 The Prohibited Substance Rules impose an absolute obligation on trainers to ensure that they present their runners free of prohibited substances.
In determining the appropriate penalty, the Stewards recognise the following factors in mitigation, and which are relevant to penalty discussions.
(2) Ms Langley has admitted a charge of presenting SNEAKY PEAK with aminorex in the horse’s system.
(3) Ms Langley has admitted a charge of presenting RACKEMUP TIGERPIE with aminorex in the horse’s system.
(4) Ms Langley has admitted a charge of presenting IMA SOCIALITE with aminorex in the horse’s system.
Charge 1 - The Stewards have identified no aggravating factors which would necessitate an increase from the starting point, charge 1, nor a decrease from the starting point due to Ms Langley’ previous breach. A fine of $2500 is imposed.
Charge 2 – The Stewards have not moved away from the penalty imposed for that of charge 1 as it is reasonable that with the notification of the discrepancy re charge 1 and the race in question was two(2) days, thereby not affording Ms Langley time to do due process on researching possible causes for the adverse findings. A fine of $2500 is imposed.
Charge 3 – The Stewards increased the penalty from that of Charges 1 and 2, as Ms Langley needed to be more aware of her contamination problem and take appropriate precautions, also of consideration is the prestige of the Hobart Pacing Cup. A fine of $4000 is imposed.
Charge 4 – Stewards kept the penalty the same as that for charge 3 as trainer Langley had shown by this stage to seek advice and act upon it. Further as indicated above, since this finding, no other issues have arisen from multiple swabs taken from her stable representatives. A fine of $4000 is imposed.
It is mandatory that if a horse competes in a race and is found to have competed with a prohibited substance in its system that it must be disqualified from that race.
AHR Rule195 reads ….
“A horse which has been presented for a race shall be disqualified from it if blood, urine, saliva, or other matter or sample or specimen taken from the horse is found to contain a prohibited substance”.
As a consequence, Stewards make the following directions: -
8.1 LORIMERTYRRELL be disqualified from its first placing from Race 7 at the Burnie Pacing Club on 27th October 2023.
8.2 SNEAKY PEAK be disqualified from its twelfth (and last) placing from Race9 at the Launceston Pacing Club on 17th December 2023.
8.3 RACKEMUP TIGERPIE be disqualified from its first placing from Race 6 at the Tasmanian Trotting Club’s meeting on 28th January 2024.
8.4 IMA SOCIALITE be disqualified from its first placing from Race 3 at the Launceston Pacing Club’s meeting on 2nd February 2024.
8.5 Placings to be amended to show the respective disqualifications.
9. Appeal
Ms Langley was advised of her right of appeal.
Decision Date: 26th June 2024