Ben Currie charges finalised
28 January 2021
Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) Stewards have finalised a number of outstanding charges issued against former Toowoomba Trainer Ben Currie.
Stewards have concluded three inquiries relating to several outstanding charges issued against Mr Currie as a result of an extensive investigation into his conduct while he was a licensed thoroughbred trainer.
As a result, Mr Currie has been fined a total of $14,000 and will be disqualified until 31 May 2021.
Stewards issued a series of charges to Mr Currie subsequent to the commencement of a stewards’ inquiry on 28 May 2018.
Charges 1 to 14 were finalised by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal or alternatively withdrawn by the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission.
Mr Currie pleaded guilty to charges 18 to 22 (as one charge); 23, 24, 25 and 27 as one charge, charge 28, 29 and 30 and Stewards withdrew charges 15, 16, 17, 26 and 31.
For these charges, the penalties imposed upon Mr Currie amounted to $9000 in fines together with a three-month disqualification to be served concurrently with a three month disqualification with the disqualification period to commence at midnight 1 January 2021.
Stewards inquired into the analysts’ findings that the prohibited substance Dexamethasone was detected in a post-race urine sample collected from the thoroughbred gelding Lil Rodge at the Ipswich Turf Club on 5 December 2018. Mr Currie entered a plea of guilty to the charge. The penalty for the offence was $3000.
Stewards also issued seven charges to Mr Currie after the commencement of an inquiry on 15 February 2019.
Mr Currie pleaded guilty to charges 1, 5, 6 and 7, with the Stewards withdrawing charge 2 and holding charge 3 and charge 4 in abeyance pending the outcome of Queensland Racing Integrity Commission’s appeal against the decision in Currie v Queensland Racing Integrity Commission [2020] QCAT 310.
A penalty of $2000 fine was imposed for charges 1 and 7 together with a three-month disqualification for charge 6 to be served concurrently with a five-month disqualification for charge 5, with the disqualification period to commence at midnight 1 January 2021.
ENDS.
Media Contact Vincene Overs 0472 842 346