Ben Currie disqualified for three years and fined on prohibited substance charges

Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) stewards have today disqualified Toowoomba Trainer Ben Currie for three years and fined him $45,000 after he was found guilty last week of five prohibited substance charges.

Mr Currie brought five thoroughbred horses to race with prohibited substances in their systems.

Wicked Trilogy was found with meloxicam in its system on 2 December 2017 when it raced at Kilcoy, Shakira was found to have testosterone in excess of the accepted concentration in its system when it raced on 28 January 2018 at Toowoomba, and Karaharaga was found to have 17-methylmorphinan-3-ol in its system when it raced on 6 July 2018 at Rockhampton.

Dreamscope was found to have cocaine and benzolecgonine in its system when it raced at Toowoomba on 16 September 2018 and Eight Over was found to have cocaine, methylecgonine and benzolecgonine in its system when it raced on 2 February 2019 at Toowoomba.

Today’s disqualification period is additional to periods previously imposed on Mr Currie and will be served at the expiration of those.

Mr Currie has previously been disqualified for causing race day treatment (two years) and two and half years for two charges of improper action following an investigation into text messages relating to the intention to use an electronic apparatus capable of affecting the performance of two horses. This brings the total period of disqualification to seven and a half years. 

ENDS