Two of Grant and Alana Williams’ headline performers from the Pinnacles carnival, Group 1 winner Watch Me Rock and Storyville, have changed stables as the leading Perth trainers prepare to face an inquiry over a positive swab.
The husband-and-wife training partnership was stood down on Tuesday by Racing WA integrity officials pending the outcome of an investigation into the detection of the prohibited substance Ritalinic Acid in a post-race blood sample taken from Starry Heights.
The sample was collected following the gelding’s breakdown and subsequent euthanasia after the running of last year’s Kalgoorlie Cup.
Ritalinic Acid is a substance commonly associated with medications used to treat Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in humans.
As a result of the suspension of their training licences, the Williams’ stable stars Watch Me Rock and Storyville have been transferred to trainer Donna Riordan.
Watch Me Rock captured the Railway Stakes last spring and went on to finish runner-up in the Group 1 Northerly Stakes, while Storyville is a multiple black-type performer.
The Williamses are scheduled to appear before stewards on Tuesday and released a statement expressing their concern over the findings.
“At no stage have we knowingly administered, or authorised the administration of, any prohibited substance to Starry Heights,” the statement read.
“We are extremely surprised and concerned by this finding and have no explanation at this time as to how this substance could have entered the horse’s system.”