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A South Australian trainer has been disqualified by NSW stewards on race day treatment charges and conspiring to have horses stomach tubed before they raced at Broken Hill in March.

Strathalbyn trainer Kym Healy was banned for a total of 10 months after Racing NSW stewards conducted an inquiry into the circumstances of the late withdrawal of Aussie Jack from the Outback Cup at Broken Hill on March 17.

Aussie Jack was withdrawn by order of the stewards when they could not be satisfied that the gelding had not been treated in contravention of the Rules of Racing.

The inquiry heard that on March 16 Racing NSW stewards received intelligence that Aussie Jack and Alitaka, both trained by Healy, were to be treated prior to racing at Broken Hill the following day.

A surveillance operation resulted in stewards entering the stables where Healy’s horses were located at approximately 12pm on race day where they observed a puncture mark, swelling and blood on the nearside jugular vein of Aussie Jack.

The expert veterinary evidence was that Aussie Jack had received an injection close to the inspection time.

Healy also pleaded guilty to meeting with Mr Matthew Schembri at the Broken Hill harness meeting conducted on the evening of March 16 where he entered into an arrangement that Mr Michael Honson would stomach tube Aussie Jack and Alitaka on March 17 prior to the horses racing that day at the Broken Hill meeting.

Healy was found guilty of the following charges:

• Administered or caused to be administered medication to the horse Aussie Jack on March 17 prior to Aussie Jack’s engagement in the Outback Cup at Broken Hill on that day

• Injected or caused to be injected the horse Aussie Jack on March 17.

• Conspired to commit a breach of the rules.

In determining penalty stewards gave consideration to the serious nature of all three offences; Healy’s personal circumstances; his clear record; his guilty plea to the third charge; and that Mr Honson did not stomach tube either horse.

Healy was disqualified for the mandatory minimum of six months on charges 1 and 2 to be served concurrently while a six months ban on the third charge was reduced to four months due to his guilty plea.

In total he will serve 10 months commencing on June 11 and expiring on April 11 2019.