,Stipes swoop on riders in early-morning raid

Stewards yesterday confiscated whips and drug tested 13 licensed track riders and a jockey in a major swoop on Ascot and Belmont Park trackwork.

Six stewards were involved in the separate raids on the two metropolitan tracks.

Urine samples were taken from riders to check for banned substances and they were breathalysed for alcohol. There were no positive tests to alcohol.

Stewards conducted a similar raid at Lark Hill in February.

Chief steward Brad Lewis said trainers’ work bags were searched and jockeys’ whips were examined on entering the course.

“We confiscated four whips, which did not conform to the rules,” Lewis said. “Some of the whips were worn and a few were the flick-type whip used to get horses on to a float.

“We tested jockeys for drugs and alcohol at the trials (Belmont) last Monday. We also have stepped up our testing of horses out of competition.”

Jockey Yannick Valenti and trainer Gavin Slater have received bans for drug offences so far this year.

Valenti was banned for three years for his third drug offence and Slater had his trackwork licence suspended for six months for being found to be riding at Lark Hill with a prohibited drug in his system.

Greyhounds WA hope to resume racing at Northam on April 13 after the track was closed following an issue with the lure rail at its opening meeting last Monday week.

Two races were run before stewards had to abandon the meeting because the rail broke on a weld join.

The welding joins have been reinforced on the 20-year-old rail and 38 greyhounds trialled on the clay circuit last Saturday.

Another 30 greyhounds will trial this Saturday.

“We hope to have the stewards inspect the rail and get their permission to race by next week,” racing manager Dennis O’Brien said.

“We need to have Northam running because Cannington will be closed down in June.”