One of Tasmanian harness racing’s rising stars has been disqualified for two years on a serious positive swab charge.
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Brighton-based Dylan Ford was the trainer of Alemeria when the horse returned an elevated TC02 reading after winning at Mowbray on July 11.
When TCO2 is present at a level above the permitted threshold it is treated as a prohibited substance.
Stewards found Ford guilty of the most serious charge pertaining to positive swabs – administering a prohibited substance for the purpose of affecting a horse’s performance.
He pleaded not guilty.
Ford pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of presenting the horse to race with a prohibited substance in its system but with no intent.
He was disqualified for two years on the administration charge and 18 months on the presentation charge, with the penalties to be served concurrently.
Ford is leading the Tasmanian junior drivers’ premiership this season and is ninth on the overall table with 20 wins.
He is 10th on the trainers’ premiership with 14 wins.
As part of their decision, stewards ruled that Ford’s father Phillip would have to relinquish his restricted stablehand’s licence as it was conditional on him working for his son.
Dylan Ford was also failed $300 for failing to keep a treatment log book and Alemeria was disqualified from the race.
Meanwhile, Flowery Gully trainer Ken Rattray expects to have his appeal against a five-year disqualification heard at the end of the month.
Rattray was disqualified after his veteran pacer Destreos, winner of 100 races, returned a positive swab to cobalt after an unplaced run at Carrick last December.