Broome Cup winner tests positive

WA racing has been rocked by six-year-old country star Vevinsky testing positive to a prohibited drug after brilliantly winning the iconic $100,000 Broome Cup (2200m).

The Kelvin Moore-trained bay produced an astonishing cup performance on August 24, travelling four-wide before accelerating midrace and bolting home four lengths clear.

Moore, 62, who has stables at Derby, says he is stunned by the shock swab result. Stewards have ordered him to an inquiry on November 6, a day after Melbourne Cup.

“I won’t be commenting much until the inquiry,” Moore said on Wednesday. “But I will say, it’s hard to prove your innocence in the racing game.”

Stipes have flagged an extension of a probe into Vevinsky’s cup swab, which was reported to be positive when examined by analysts at Perth-based ChemCentre and Victoria’s Racing Analytical Services Laboratory.

“Investigation continues, in relation to these reports,” stewards said in a statement.

Vevinsky received a hero’s reception from almost 6000 racegoers in the Broome Cup victory parade, with apprentice jockey Kristo Sardelic aboard.

Sardelic, 28, had earlier been the centre of a race tactics probe, for his contoroversial unplaced ride on Yankee Lima at the Broome Cup carnival.

A 10-length Derby Cup win in July had been scored by the Vevinsky, who is a son of Oratorio and was foaled by Dirty Vegas. He looked set for city success when outclassing Broome Cup rivals.

But his reputation has crumbled with the stewards’ announcement that lignocaine, an illegal racing substance, was detected in his Broome Cup swab.

Vevinsky faces being stripped of the the $54,800 first prize and his owners will probably have to hand the rich cup trophy to runner-up Acermetric’s connections.

“I’ll attend the stewards’ inquiry, and see where we go from there,” Moore said. “I have previously treated horses with this product (lignocaine), and positive swabs did not result.

“In a court of law, you are innocent until proven guilty. But in racing, it seems you are guilty until proven otherwise. Meanwhile, Vevinsky is spelling at Forge On Park, near Perth.”

Moore, acting on behalf of an ownership syndicate, bought Vevinsky for $10,000 from Serpentine trainer David Harrison after the horse was an unplaced Esperance Cup runner last March. Vevinsky, after going north, was ridden in training by Moore at a track on his property.

Stewards quizzed Sardelic after he rode hard aboard Yankee Lima ($12) outside $2.20 favourite The Chief Justice, who was leading in race three at Broome on August 20.

The Chief Justice, whose stamina was dented by Yankee Lima’s challenge, faded to fourth. Yankee Lima tired and ran last of six, more than 10 lengths behind winner Money For Old Rope, who had firmed from $7 to $3.20.

Perth barrister Tom Percy KC, managing owner of The Chief Justice, lodged a complaint against Sardelic’s tactics to Racing WA integrity chief Denis Borovica.

After a four-week probe, stewards said they had found no betting irregularities. Sardelic was instructed to receive coaching on race tactics decisions.