Racing Victoria stewards have disqualified licensed farrier Umesh Joseph for 12 months after he pleaded guilty to multiple sexual harassment-related charges under the Rules of Racing.
Joseph admitted to two offences under AR 233(c) relating to sexual harassment and a further charge under AR 232(i) for providing false or misleading evidence during an investigation.
The charges stem from conduct between May and August 2025, when Joseph sent inappropriate messages via Facebook Messenger to a licensed trainer and a registered stable employee, which stewards deemed to constitute sexual harassment within the industry.
An additional charge arose from an interview conducted on February 23, 2026, during which Joseph falsely denied responsibility for the messages and claimed his account had been accessed by an unknown third party.
In determining penalty, stewards considered his guilty pleas, personal circumstances, employment history and prior record, as well as the seriousness of the conduct and a noted lack of empathy toward those affected.
The disqualification totals 12 months, with two six-month penalties for the harassment charges to be served cumulatively, alongside a concurrent three-month penalty for providing false evidence. The ban took immediate effect and will run until May 20, 2027, subject to appeal.
In a separate matter, stewards have also confirmed a prohibited substance finding involving the Shawn Mathrick-trained Gathers No Stone.
The irregularity relates to a pre-race blood sample taken at Werribee earlier this month, which returned a total carbon dioxide (TCO2) level above the permitted threshold of 36.0 millimoles per litre in plasma.
The presence of elevated TCO2 constitutes a prohibited substance under the Australian Rules of Racing, and stewards have indicated their investigation into the matter remains ongoing.
