Group 1-winning trainer David Pfieffer has been suspended for nine months after substituting a urine sample in 2019.
Racing New South Wales Stewards and Investigators were delivered a sample by the Group 1-winning trainer at Warwick Farm in April 2019, which was discovered to be substituted for a sample provided by another donor.
Pfieffer pleaded guilty to AR140(1)(b) in an inquiry that took place on Tuesday, with the Group 1-winning trainer’s ban reduced from 12 to nine months with the guilty plea.
“He did deliver a urine sample when directed by Racing NSW Stewards and Investigators to do so at Warwick Farm on 24 April 2019, which was a substituted urine sample provided by another donor,” the stewards’ report read.
“Stewards ruled that the period of disqualification was to commence immediately and to expire on 18 February 2022.
“Under the provisions of AR283(7) the Stewards provided Mr Pfieffer 7 days to continue to care and train horses currently in his care, but such horses are not permitted to start in a race or barrier trial.”
The Pfieffer-trained duo of Yamazaki and Rocketing By By have already found new homes in the form of Murwillumbah and Warwick Farm-based Matthew Dunn.
Both horses are accepted to run at Doomben on Saturday, with Rocketing By set to race in the Darby McCarthy Handicap, while Yamazaki will take her place in the Group 3 Pam O’Neill Stakes.
Stewards also questioned Pfieffer about allegations he had failed to report four-year-old’s Famous and Zouspectre had displayed blood from one nostril.
The Warwick Farm-based trainer was fined $2500 after pleading guilty to charges under AR 79.
The stewards report read that “Stewards also considered an allegation that Mr Pfieffer had failed to report to the Stewards that the racehorses Famous and Zouspectre, which were trained by Mr Pfieffer, had blood present at (sic) their nostril which was not reported to Stewards.
“He did fail to report to the Stewards, without delay, that the racehorse Famous had displayed blood at one nostril following Famous barrier trialling on 15 September 2020 and 28 September 2020.
“He did fail to report to the Stewards, without delay, that the racehorse Zouspectre had displayed blood at one nostril on one occasion between the period 4 September 2019 and 23 February 2021 when trained by him.”
Famous has been transferred to Armidale-based Stirling Osland, whilst Zouspectre has been retired from racing, with his best finish a fifth in his four-start career.
