American Twist To Laming Saga
- Saturday, 29 May 2010 16:09
An American doctor, who specialises in identifying EPO in equine athletes, could hold the key to Bevan and Richard Laming’s defence against three EPO-related charges.
On Friday, the Herald Sun revealed that a witness “would dispute the validity and accuracy of the testing methodology on the samples taken from Laming-trained horses Benelli and War Dancer,” which were tested at HFL Sports Science in the United Kingdom and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Racing Laboratory.
The Virtual Formguide understands that witness is Dr Cornelius Uboh from the Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology & Research Laboratory (PETRL).
His laboratory was the first worldwide to employ a definitive test for EPO and has been doing so since 2006.
More than 50,000 samples are tested at PETRL annually.
The Virtual Formguide understands from sources close to the Laming stable that they are confident Dr Uboh’s evidence concerning the validity of the EPO tests will be compelling.
Subsequently, the legal team of the father and son training partnership are believed to be already investigating the prospect of a legal challenge against Racing Victoria Limited (RVL) for damages in the event the charges against them are dropped or dismissed by the Racing Appeal and Disciplinary Board.
Since August 13 last year, when RVL confirmed that blood samples taken from Benelli and War Dancer had returned positive to EPO, several horses have vacated the Lamings Fiveways-based property.
Melbourne Racing Club Committeeman Ian MacDonald is one such owner to dissolve his relationship with the stable, most notably transferring Bashful Girl and Bashboy to Robbie Laing at Cranbourne.
At only her fifth start after departing the stables of Brian Mayfield-Smith for the Lamings, Bashful Girl won the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (1800m) at Sandown last November.
Bashful Girl only had two more runs for the stable before Thoroughbred Racing SA (TRSA) stewards announced three days before the Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville on April 17 that Laing was the new registered trainer.
Bashboy had its first 23 career starts in the care of the Lamings and was in the process of being groomed for a jumps career when he switched to Laing’s stable.
Bashboy trialled twice over hurdles in mid-April only to fly the flag for Laing by winning two jumps races over the Warrnambool Carnival three weeks later.
Macdonald’s affiliation with the Lamings has also proved fruitful in recent times with Phaze Action winning the Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes (3200m) at Flemington last year.
No name is listed as the current trainer of Phaze Action according to Racing Information Services Australia (RISA) records.
The Virtual Formguide approached Bevan Laming for comment on any of the above issues raised, however he declined.
Bevan & Richard Laming EPO Inquiry Timeline
June 11, 2009: Blood samples were taken from Benelli and War Dancer as part of the out-of-competition testing regime being conducted by RVL stewards in Victoria.
June 13: Benelli wins at Sandown Hillside.
July 2: Out-of-competition blood sample taken from Benelli.
July 4: Benelli finished second in the Listed Winter Championship Final.
July 18: Benelli wins at Caulfield over 1800m.
July 31: RVL Stewards raid the Lamings Fiveways property.
August 13: RVL confirm that blood samples taken from Benelli and War Dancer are definitely positive to the prohibited blood-boosting drug EPO.
August 15: Benelli is scratched by stewards from the JJ Liston Stakes.
October 1: Benelli and War Dancer banned from racing until January 17 after a drug surveillance laboratory located in the UK, HFL Sports Science, confirms those positive tests.
November 20: Ten charges are placed against Bevan & Richard Laming after stewards complete an investigation.
January 20, 2010: Stewards announce the provisional Racing Appeals and Disciplinary (RAD) Board hearing date of Monday, April 12 2010.
February 17: Benelli returns to racing, finishing sixth in the Listed Hareeba Stakes.
March 30: Racing Appeals and Disciplinary (RAD) Board announce that it had accepted an application from both counsel for the Lamings and counsel for Racing Victoria stewards to adjourn the hearing to a date to be fixed.
Picture: Colin Bull
