A Sydney stablehand has been disqualified for nine months for substituting a urine sample with that of someone else following a ban for a prohibited substance.
Natalie Bentley was tested at Rosehill on June 10 and disqualified from riding trackwork for three months when the banned substance was detected.
She was directed to give stewards a clearing sample on July 26 but tests revealed the two samples came from different people.
On Thursday, Bentley pleaded guilty to two charges relating to the substitution and was outed for nine months on each count, to be served concurrently.
She is allowed to reapply for her licence on May 16, 2017.
Racing NSW’s stewards release:
Racing NSW Stewards today conducted an inquiry in respect to two urine samples provided by licensed stablehand rider, Ms Natalie Bentley at Rosehill Gardens on 10 June 2016, whereby Ms Bentley was directed by Stewards to provide a urine sample subsequent to riding trackwork on that morning and a clearing sample at the Offices of Racing NSW on 26 July 2016 in accordance with the provisions AR81A(4).
On 26 July 2016, Ms Bentley pleaded guilty to having provided a sample of her urine, after riding trackwork at Rosehill Gardens on 10 June 2016, which was found to contain a banned substance and was suspended from riding trackwork for a period of 3 months, to expire on 22 October 2016.
Evidence today was taken from Ms Bentley. Stewards also considered a report from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine which reported that sample R057625, provided to Stewards at Rosehill Gardens on 10 June 2016 and sample R057795, provided to Stewards at the RNSW Offices on 26 July 2016 contained inconsistent genetic information.
Ms Bentley pleaded guilty to two charges under AR81A(1)(b).
AR 81A. (1) Any rider commits an offence and may be penalised if –
(b) he refuses or fails to deliver a sample as directed by the Stewards, or tampers with, adulterates, alters, substitutes or in any way hinders the collection of such sample or attempts to do any of those things.
Charge 1 – Delivering an adulterated sample
On 10 June 2016, at Rosehill Gardens racecourse she did provide urine sample number R057625 as directed by the Stewards and declared such sample being from herself, when in fact it was an adulterated urine sample with the urine from another party.
Charge 2 – Delivering a substitute sample
On 26 July 2016, at the offices of Racing NSW, she did provide urine sample number R057795 as directed by the Stewards and she declared such sample being from herself, when in fact it was a substitute urine sample obtained from another party. Such substitute sample being provided in the knowledge that if she provided a urine sample from herself it may not be free of substances banned by AR81B.
After considering all the evidence including Ms Bentley’s guilty plea and admission to the Stewards along, with her submissions on penalty which included a clear record, her contrition and the effect a significant penalty would have on her personal circumstances, the Stewards issued a period of disqualification of 9 months against Ms Bentley on each charge, to commence immediately.
Under the provisions of AR196(3) the Stewards ordered that the penalties be served concurrently, thus permitting Ms Bentley to re-apply for her licence on 16 May 2017.
Ms Bentley was advised of her rights of appeal.
