Aquanita doping scandal: Greg Nelligan claims friendship, not punting drove him to cheat

The wife of former Aquanita float driver Greg Nelligan has contradicted some of her husband’s evidence over broadscale doping but confirmed his punting was a motivation to dope horses.

Denise Nelligan has contradicted some of her husband’s evidence over broadscale doping, claiming the man at the centre of the rorting had illegally treated some of Tony Vasil’s horses.

Following her husband into the witness box at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Mrs Nelligan said Vasil had asked for performance-enhancing “top-up” pastes to be made.

Greg Nelligan earlier told the tribunal Vasil had never made any “top-up” requests to him either in person or via text messages.

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Mrs Nelligan, who described Vasil as a “selfish wanker” in a text, claimed Vasil, Stuart Webb and Robert Smerdon were all embroiled in the doping scheme.

Asked if Liam Birchley, one of four trainers appealing disqualification, was involved, she said: “No.”

Mrs Nelligan confirmed her husband’s punting was a motivation to dope horses under the nose of stewards after he claimed he was never paid by trainers to cheat.

Nelligan said he was only a “$50 punter”, rejecting accusations betting was his primary motive.

Nelligan, who is disqualified for life, claimed he was instead driven by his friendship with Smerdon.

Greg Nelligan at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Picture: AAP

“I ranked my friendship with Mr Smerdon first, punting was something I was never concerned about,” Nelligan said.

“I’m not a big enough punter to make a difference in my mind.

“Betting, to me, wasn’t a big factor.

“If I was asked to do it (dope), I would do it.

“Sometimes I wouldn’t go through with it.”

Revealing he was paid between $65,000 and $70,000 a year to drive floats and strap horses for Aquanita trainers, Nelligan said he was unaware of the punting habits of any of the other disqualified parties, including Smerdon.

“He never spoke to me about his betting,” Nelligan said.

“I’d ask if he thought it (a horse) could win and I’d have a small bet.

“I just enjoyed the punt. Not every day, not most days.

“I may bet five days in a row, then not bet for two weeks.”

Asked whether Geelong trainer Kelvin Bourke was in the notorious circle of trust, Nelligan said: “I don’t recall.”

Banned trainer Robert Smerdon is seen during a trackwork session at Caulfield. Picture: Getty Images

Questioned on why he had a text exchange with Bourke after a Vasil horse won and references to “only small cheating”, Nelligan struggled to remember the conversation.

Nelligan, his wife Denise and Smerdon are disqualified for life.

Stuart Webb (four years), Tony Vasil (three), Trent Pennuto (two), Danny Garland (one) and Liam Birchley (one) are also disqualified.

Smerdon, Webb, Vasil and Birchley are appealing bans imposed by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board at VCAT.

Again prefacing most of his answers with “I claim that the answer I am about to give may tend to incriminate me”, Nelligan insisted he had “topped-up” horses on only about 20 occasions with performance-enhancing sodium bicarbonate and Tripart paste.

The Nelligans, Pennuto and Garland are not appealing their penalties.

The hearing continues.