Chris Waller Fined $50,000 After Asterix Cup Scratching

Champion trainer Chris Waller has been fined $50,000 after Racing Victoria stewards scratched his Melbourne Cup runner Asterix when a medication was applied to the horse’s forelegs on race morning, cutting the Flemington field to 23 runners.

Stewards interviewed Waller and confirmed Asterix “was found to have had the medication Penetrene administered to both forelegs in its stable on race morning”, 7NEWS reported. The horse was withdrawn by stewards’ order at 10:33am on Tuesday, according to Just Horse Racing.

Penetrene is a topical liniment marketed as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever for muscle strains, sprains and soreness. Under the rules, any substance given to a horse on race day, including a product rubbed onto the legs, counts as a medication unless stewards have authorised it, the ABC explained.

Waller fined $50,000

At the end of their inquiry on Tuesday, stewards found Waller did “negligently cause the medication Penetrene to be administered to both forelegs in his stable on race day”, a breach of rule AR 249(1)(b), Racing.com reported. Waller pleaded guilty to a charge under AR 227(a) and was fined $50,000.

“In assessing penalty, stewards accepted that the application of Penetrene was done in error by Mr Waller’s stablehand, however were also mindful of the seriousness of the matter, and the breach had led to Asterix being withdrawn from its engagement in the Lexus Melbourne Cup,” the stewards’ report read. “Stewards also took into consideration Mr Waller’s guilty plea and excellent record in relation to similar offences.”

Waller told News Corp the treatment was a stable error, Fox Sports reported. “The horse gets the same treatment every day, it’s a very basic liniment most stables use and I guess the pressure of race day, the person that looks after the horse, put it on his legs right in front of the security guard, nothing to hide,” he said. “It’s not her (the stablehand’s) fault, I’ve got to wear the responsibility, it’s my team.”

Earlier, RV chief steward Rob Montgomery told Channel 9 that early investigations indicated the horse had been treated by mistake, Racing.com reported. “Unfortunately, there was a topical treatment applied to the horse this morning which is allowed during the week but not on raceday,” Montgomery said. “It just is an honest mistake but unfortunately has big consequences for the connections of the horse. Some of the owners were over from New Zealand to watch their horse run in the Melbourne Cup.”

Asterix (NZ) was number 9 in the Cup field, drawn barrier 6 with 55kg, and was a $51 chance before the scratching, 7NEWS reported.

McNeil misses the ride

The news cost 2020 Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Jye McNeil his ride. Shortly before the scratching, McNeil had told Racing.com: “He’s drawn really kindly, which is going to make my life a little bit easier.”

Waller is now left with one runner in the race, Soul Of Spain, who will be ridden by Tommy Berry.

Flemington was rated a Soft 5 on Tuesday morning, with the rail out 3 metres. The $10.2 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) is race 7, with the start set for 3pm AEDT.

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