Birdsville three rubbed out after jigger ruling by stewards
The three convicted Queensland racing participants in the Birdsville jigger case were disqualified on Wednesday.
Todd Austin, a thoroughbred trainer, has been disqualified for five years, Ric McMahon, a jockey, has been disqualified for three and a half years, and stable hand Toni Austin was give a 12 month suspension when QRIC stewards handed down their penalties.
When considering appropriate penalties, QRIC Chief Thoroughbred Steward Josh Adams stated that stewards take breaches of this nature very seriously because they can have a negative impact on the image of racing, and penalties must serve as a general deterrent to demonstrate to the entire racing industry that these activities cannot be tolerated.
“The possession and use of jiggers is abhorrent and is a practice that tarnishes the image of the racing industry where animal welfare is paramount,” he said.
“There is no lesser penalty that could be imposed to maintain public confidence and integrity in racing and to safeguard the welfare of all animals involved in racing.”
The penalties followed a slew of charges after a photograph surfaced showing jockey McMahon riding Hemmerle with an electronic device in his hand during a track gallop at the Birdsville Cup race meeting in August last year.
On February 8, Mr Austin was found guilty of commissioning an act of cruelty to a horse as well as two counts of providing false or misleading evidence to stewards at the enquiry.
Toni Austin, Mr Austin’s wife, was also found guilty of providing false or misleading evidence to stewards during the enquiry.
Mr Austin was found guilty of cruelty to registered thoroughbred Hemmerle when he hired jockey Ric McMahon to ride the horse at trackwork during the Birdsville Cup race meeting last August.
Mr McMahon pleaded guilty to possessing a jigger and providing false and misleading evidence in the months-long investigation by QRIC stewards into the incident surrounding the famous and remote Queensland race meeting.