Annette Sharp: Racing NSW investigates Chynna Marston over report to RSPCA
Chynna Marston — the face of Sky Racing — is being investigated by Racing NSW after being reported to the RSPCA for alleged mistreatment of animals, writes Annette Sharp.
NSW
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Chynna Marston — ambassador and face of horseracing broadcaster Sky Racing, and poster girl for recycled racehorses — is being investigated by Racing NSW after being reported to the RSPCA for her alleged mistreatment of animals.
Last week, in news that raises questions about her high-profile appointment to Tabcorp’s Sky Thoroughbred Central, Marston and her fiance Alexander Kean were listed on Racing NSW’s Exclusion List for rehoming thoroughbreds.
According to Racing NSW’s Exclusion List criteria, the pair are temporarily banned from receiving horses “transferred, sold or gifted upon retirement or thereafter” until Racing NSW can conduct an investigation into claims made about Marston and Kean.
It comes three years after Marston was investigated by Racing NSW in 2020 over other unspecified allegations relating to animal welfare.
A senior Racing NSW executive confirmed Marston was questioned but she said at the time she was suffering from poor mental health.
The ban also comes two weeks after Claire Gee, daughter of respected Moruya trainer Mark Gee, registered a formal complaint with the RSPCA and Racing NSW last month over Marston’s care of a pony she was looking after on her property in Bowning, northwest of Yass.
The horse named Scarlet, not a thoroughbred but a beloved family pet that has been used for polocrosse and gymkhana events during its 14 years with the Gee family, had been offered to Marston on an extended loan basis in 2018 for use as a lesson horse at Marston’s horseriding school, Recycled Racehorses.
On Friday, Gee confirmed she felt compelled to lodge the formal complaint against Marston, who she has known for years, after Marston initially did not to respond to repeated text messages from Gee, made as she attempted to retrieve her horse.
When Gee and her father finally did manage to catch up with Marston weeks later, Marston said the horse was not ready for collection.
Marston gave various reasons, including that it had a possible hock injury, was needed at the property for a July school holiday clinic for ASD children, and that it may have had salmonella poisoning.
Finally on May 22, Gee and a friend travelled to Marston’s rural property to find the pony in a dirt yard at the Bowning property.
A photograph Gee said was taken at the time suggests the horse was underweight.
After removing the horse, a subsequent vet check confirmed the 22-year-old mare was emaciated.
Following the publication of the Exclusion List last week, Marston took to Instagram to defend herself.
“Twitter has made me very much aware of a list that my name is on,” she said in a recorded monologue.
“You guys can all calm down. It’s not that big a deal, it just reflects on my inability to do paperwork correctly so you can rest assured I’ll have it sorted out ASAP.”
She added: “This (online) delightful article relates to a pony nearing 30. She was diagnosed with a severe and terminal heart condition which, despite all efforts, was not stabilising. We were advised to put her to sleep. I wanted to keep trying.
“Vet report can be sent to those who want it. (It) is entirely misleading and false. Lawyers will continue with proceedings from here.”
The post was later taken down.
Gee, who has seen the vet’s report concerning Scarlet and spoken to the vet, said there was no evidence of any type of physical disease or problem.
Gee says the vet was a small-animal vet, and not an equine specialist.
“Since we got her home we have had her evaluated by an equine specialist who found there is no evidence of a heart problem or disease,” she said.
“There is no evidence of any type of physical disease or illness that may contribute to weight loss or be a long-term barrier to improving her condition.
“There is no evidence of any terminal illness … and she hasn’t missed a beat. She eats two hard feeds a day and actively grazes — even when lying down.
This column’s call to the RSPCA went unanswered yesterday.
Racing NSW’s SECA district racing steward Jim Walsh referred this writer to the Chairman of Stewards Steve Railton, who in turn referred us to the CEO of Racing NSW Peter V’landys, who declined to comment on the matter.
A source said Marston would remain on the Exclusion List until an investigation was conducted, possibly as early as next week.
“I am shocked by what has happened. My parents bought this horse for me when I was a little girl and I grew up riding her and loving her. My family loves horses,” Gee said.
“Scarlet was not a top polocrosse horse — she is maybe too soft, too sweet — but my plan had always been to keep her for my own children, for when they were old enough to ride and now my son is three, we are at that point, that’s why I wanted her back.”
Marston, whose jockey dreams came crashing down in 2014 following a fall from her mount at Tumut, later reinvented herself as a spokeswoman for rescued racehorses and a Sky Racing commentator.
With mother Cheryl, the two women set up Recycled Racehorses in 2015, with Marston, in the role as owner and director, offering her services to the industry as a viable rescuer, re-educator and rehouser of unwanted racehorses.
In a social media post last week, Marston referred to Recycled Racehorses, saying: “The charity I volunteer at is open at any time for people to come out and see the work they do.”
Recycled Racehorses now operates as a charity which relies on donations to pay for feed, training and veterinary care for the horses.
On Friday night a lawyer for Marston responded to questions concerning Racing NSW’s disciplinary action.
“Ms Marston denies any allegations of any mistreatment, neglect or breaches of animal welfare standards,” the lawyer said.
“Ms Marston is deeply passionate about horses and has dedicated her time and attention to rehabilitating and caring for horses, including but not limited to her work with Recycled Racehorses.
“Ms Marston is at a loss to understand how or why any allegations of mistreatment could have been levelled at her given her love and passion for horses and improving welfare standards is well known.”
Ms Marston herself further denied the mistreatment of Gee’s horse.
“I entirely deny any allegation of neglect, whether of Scarlett (sic) or any other horse. Scarlett is about 27 (sic) years old, and in the time she has been with Recycled Racehorses, she was at all times provided adequate nutrition.”
She contradicted Gee concerning the vet’s report: “Scarlett’s veterinarian noted that Scarlett had adequate nutrition and determined that Scarlett’s physical condition was due to her diagnosed heart condition — being an intense cardiac murmur and unusual PMI.”
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