Hobartville Stakes favourite El Roca has been withdrawn from the race by stewards after a breach of the rules for pre-race treatment.
The New Zealand colt, trained by Trent Busuttin, won the Eskimo Prince Stakes two weeks ago in preparation for Saturday’s Group Two race.
Chief steward Murrihy said the investigative unit had discovered El Roca had been treated with an alkalising agent at 6am on Friday which is not allowed in NSW.
The vet who treated him came from Victoria where the rules are different and a horse can receive treatment within a 24-hour period of a race.
Blood tests confirmed El Roca had a TCO2 level lower than the allowable limit but Murrihy said his panel had decided it was unfair to the other runners to let El Roca start.
“There are nine runners in the Hobartville and eight have conformed to pre-race procedures,” Murrihy told the trainer.
