D’Altorio suspended over misleading Sonattack evidence

NSW trainer Gino D’Altorio has been suspended for one month after pleading guilty to providing misleading evidence about the whereabouts and care of a retired racehorse.

D’Altorio was also fined $200 for failing to amend the stable return of Sonaattack after its location changed.

Stewards found D’Altorio initially told a Racing NSW investigator on August 27 that he had given Sonattack to an associate, Frank Ciampa, and the horse was no longer in his care.

During a second interview later that day, D’Altorio acknowledged Sonattack remained at Ciampa’s property while he sought a new home for the gelding, and that he continued to check on it and regarded it as his horse.

D’Altorio pleaded guilty to both charges under AR296(2)(d)(i) and AR232(i), with stewards reducing the two-month suspension from an initial three months after considering his guilty plea and other penalty considerations.