A harness racing trainer has been suspended after being caught injecting a suspected performance enhancing drug into two horses, hours before they were due to take to the track.
Racing Integrity Unit (RIU) investigators watched on as junior driver and trainer Jesse Alford administered a substance to the horses at his stables in Woodend Beach, North Canterbury on Thursday afternoon.
They then raided his property, seizing syringes and other items of interest.
Testing is under way to determine what the horses were injected with, but it is thought to be a banned substance.
Three horses trained by Alford – Jimmy Cannon, Johnny Nevits and Motor Mouth – were late scratchings from races at Addington Raceway in Christchurch on Thursday evening.
The young trainer is expected to face several charges related to breaches of harness racing rules, including administering a prohibited substance and attempting to administer a prohibited substance on a race day.
The matter is also likely to be referred to police.
by Sam Sherwood
Courtesy of Stuff