Freedmans facing race day treatment charges

Leading trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman have been charged following a Racing Victoria investigation into alleged race-day treatment breaches in August involving two of their horses, Moonhaven and Kira.

Warrnambool trainer Tom Dabernig has also been charged after one of his runners, Ashford Street, returned a positive swab to multiple prohibited substances following its run in the 2024 Millennium Sprint at Caulfield.

Racing Victoria said the Freedman charges stem from an unannounced race-morning visit by stewards to the stable’s Cranbourne training base, where Kira was observed receiving treatment via a nebuliser, a method of medication delivery banned on race day without prior approval.

Subsequent inquiries revealed Moonhaven had also been treated with a nebuliser that morning. Both horses were withdrawn from their respective races at Caulfield on stewards’ orders.

Under the Australian Rules of Racing, the administration of any medication on race day before a horse competes is prohibited unless authorised by stewards.

Racing Victoria also alleges further breaches were identified during an inspection of the Freedman stable’s treatment records, claiming medications or treatments administered to Moonhaven and Kira between July 1 and August 15, 2025, were not properly recorded.

At the time, the Freedman stable said the treatments occurred inadvertently.

“An oversight occurred within the stable for which we take full responsibility,” the stable said in a statement in August. “We are committed to working openly and cooperatively with the Racing Victoria stewards as they conduct their inquiry.”

Meanwhile, Racing Victoria confirmed on Monday that Dabernig has been charged after analysis of a urine sample taken from Ashford Street on race day detected the presence of testosterone, formestane and 4-hydroxytestosterone, all prohibited substances under the rules of racing.

Charges against the Freedmans and Dabernig have been referred to the Victorian Racing Tribunal. A hearing date has not yet been set.