Harness racing trainer Emma Stewart granted stay of proceedings as case takes twist

Emma Stewart is clear to continue training pending her appeal against the severity of six-month disqualification and $2000 fine, however, Harness Racing Victoria stewards’ case against her potentially became more serious.

Emma Stewart.

Champion harness trainer Emma Stewart’s “dripping” saga has taken an unexpected twist.

While Stewart is clear to continue training pending her appeal against the severity of six-month disqualification and $2000 fine, Harness Racing Victoria stewards’ case against her potentially became more serious.

The Victorian Racing Tribunal’s Judge John Bowman on Friday ruled in favour of a stay of proceedings for Stewart, but only after lengthy discussions with Adrian Anderson on behalf of Harness Racing Victoria stewards and Stewart’s legal counsel, Damian Sheales.

“What should have been the world’s simplest appeal just became very complicated,” Sheales said at one stage.

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The twist came when Anderson cited seven reasons why HRV stewards were arguing against a stay a proceedings, one of which noted the “Hartmann’s Drip” Stewart pleaded guilty to using contained “lactate”, which he said was an alkalinizing agent.

Judge Bowman pressed Anderson on whether HRV stewards were alleging “lactate” was a substance to improve performance.

Emma Stewart (left).

“I understood there was no suggestion of any performance enhancing substances,” he said. “We need to know at the outset whether you are saying this is a substance of some consequence, rather than a saline drip.”

After breaking to deliberate with HRV stewards, Anderson returned to say they were not suggesting a prohibited substance had been used, but wanted it noted the presence “lactate” was a factor which needed to be considered.

Discussion ensued before Judge Bowman established Anderson’s introduction of the “lactate” element to the hearing had added to its complexity and a Direction’s Hearing would be required.

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Anderson pushed for a hearing before Christmas, but Judge Bowman said that was too soon given the “lactate” twist and the Direction’s Hearing was set for 9.30am on January 29, 2024.

Throughout the hearing, Sheales argued the size and magnitude of the Stewart’s stable – “we are talking about more than 80 horses” – meant not granting a stay would be a hugely expensive process to relocate the horses.

“It’s not just about racing them, these are athletes who need training for upcoming races,” he said.

Stewart’s penalty stems from a stable inspection by stewards of her Cardigan property near Ballarat on September 16, which uncovered one horse (Act Now) beisng administered a saline drip and another (Show Me Heaven) about to be given one.

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Both horses were entered to race the following day at Maryborough and HRV’s rules prohibited such administration within “one clear day” of a horse racing. Stewards ordered Act Now and Show Me Heaven be scratched from Maryborough.

Stewart, who attended Friday’s hearing but didn’t speak, said she was “shocked and disappointed by the penalty,” when it was handed down on Tuesday.

“I pleaded guilty, co-operated with stewards on the day and have all the way through since. There were no prohibited substances used,” she said at the time.

Stewart is Australia’s dominant training force with a string of recent major wins, including the Group 1 Victoria Cup, inaugural $2.1m TAB Eureka and a string of Group 1 Vicbred and Breeders Crown finals.

Stewart has trained 3105 winners, a remarkable 127 of those of Group 1 level, and her horses have banked almost $50 million in prize money.

She is on target to win her ninth successive Victorian trainer’s premiership with 200 wins, 75 ahead of nearest rival Julie Douglas.

Stewart can now nominate and race horses, pending the January 29 hearing. She has one runner at Melton Saturday night, leading contender Freeasabyrd, in the Youthful (2YO) Stakes.

• Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.

Originally published as Harness racing trainer Emma Stewart granted stay of proceedings as case takes twist