Legal win for Williamses – premier Perth trainers allowed to return to the races
Grant and Alana Williams will be allowed to nominate horses for races and barrier trials after successfully seeking a stay of proceedings as they face a charge related to Starry Heights returning a positive swab to Ritalinic Acid.
Western Australia’s reigning premier trainers Grant and Alana Williams have succeeded in having their standdown order related to a positive swab set aside, allowing the pair to resume racing.
Perth’s leading stable last season, the Williamses have been in limbo since January 20 after it was confirmed one of their horses, last October’s Kalgoorlie Cup runner Starry Heights, returned a positive test to Ritalinic Acid.
Ritalin, which is used to treat people who suffer from Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), was detected after a post-mortem was conducted on Starry Heights who suffered a significant injury during the running of the country cup race and was subsequently euthanised.
The Williamses, who were charged on January 29 by Racing WA stewards of bringing a horse to the races with a prohibited substance in its system, have maintained “at no stage have we knowingly administered, or authorised the administration of, any prohibited substance to Starry Heights”.
Monday’s legal victory at the Racing Penalties Appeal Tribunal (RPAT), with Victorian barrister Damian Sheales acting for the Williamses, will see a stay of proceedings in place until March 10 pending a determination of the charge against them.
“The Racing Penalties Appeal Tribunal today determined the stay application by thoroughbred trainers Grant and Alana Williams against RWWA Stewards’ order to suspend their training licenses pursuant to Local Rule 22 of the Rules of Thoroughbred Racing,” Racing WA officials confirmed in a statement.
The news comes on the eve of this week’s Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
The husband-and-wife training partnership was the fourth-leading buyer at last year’s Perth sale, spending a combined $840,000 on six yearlings, having acquired seven at the WA sale in 2024.
It had been unclear how active the Williamses intended to be at the Perth sale, to be held at Magic Millions’ Swan Valley complex, but the stay of proceedings can only help their chances of receiving owners’ support in the sales ring.
During the near almost month-long drama, a number of high-profile horses were transferred to other stables, with Railway Stakes winner Watch Me Rock and RJ Peters winner Storyville initially sent to fellow Western Australian trainer Donna Riordan before heading east to join Mark Walker at Cranbourne.
They still have 80 named horses listed on their Racing Australia stable return.
Author
Related Articles
Comment: What’s at stake in the Supreme Court battle between Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club?
Of all the power battles fought over NSW racing in the past couple of years, the most crucial will occur in the Supreme Court as the Australian Turf Club challenges Racing NSW’s authority to put it into administration, writes Bren O’Brien
A matter of catering – ATC and Racing NSW pause dispute over theft allegations
Racing NSW has temporarily backed away from a threat that it would commence formal proceedings against the Australian Turf Club over concerns sparked by an internal investigation into possible theft at the race club, after the ATC took the matter to the Supreme Court.
Caught short – Investigations launched over Hobart Cup distance bungle
Multiple investigations have been launched into a blunder which saw one of Tasmania’s biggest races, the Hobart Cup, run short of its advertised distance on Sunday.