Newcastle racing community mourns death of Group 1-winning Ben Smith, 42

Ben Smith, who won two Group 1 races in 2018 before he was hit with two lengthy bans, has died at the age of 42.

Trainer Ben Smith has died aged 42. Picture: Mark Evans / Getty Images

The Newcastle racing community is in mourning after the passing of trainer Ben Smith. He was 42.

Newcastle police are investigating the cause of Smith’s death but it is understood there are no suspicious circumstances.

Smith was nearing the end of a 13-month ban after he and one of his horses tested positive to banned substances and his death has shocked his many friends in the racing industry.

Smith was a rising star in the NSW training ranks and won Group 1 races in 2018 with In Her Time (The Galaxy) and El Dorado Dreaming (ATC Sires Produce Stakes).

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In Her Time was being readied for the world’s richest turf race, the 2018 The Everest, when Smith’s training career was put on hold after he was hit with a three year-nine month ban after being found guilty of cobalt and conduct charges by Racing NSW stewards.

Smith resumed his training in late 2022 but again struck trouble with stewards and was hit with a 13-month ban in May last year, when he and one of his horses tested positive to banned substances.

Trainer Ben Smith with In Her Time. Picture: Jenny Evans

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Racing NSW stewards charged Smith for two separate offences, one of which was for the use of a banned substance while handling a horse.

He was given a 12-month ban, reduced to nine months for the offence, while he received a further four-month suspension after one of his runners, Arale, tested positive to an anti-inflammatory drug.

A pre-race blood sample from Arale found the mare to have meloxicam in her system after she won at Canterbury last year. Arale was subsequently disqualified from the race.

Smith trained 17 winners in his comeback 2023-24 season and appeared to have his career back on track before incurring a second lengthy stewards ban.

Originally published as Newcastle racing community mourns death of Group 1-winning Ben Smith, 42