DOPING CASE IN AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28302, 13 June 1957, Page 4

DOPING CASE IN AUSTRALIA

Connexions Out For Five Years (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, June 12 A Flemington trainer, C. Cerchi, a Riverina grazier, Mr R. C. Stav, a stable foreman, John Williams, and the horse Frodlaw, were disqualified for five years by the stewards of the Casterton Racing Club last night. The disqualifications were made under the Victorian Racing Club’s Rule 174, which deals with the administration of drugs or stimulants. The stewards, who sat from noon yesterday, without a break until 8.30 p.m., announced their finding after concluding their inquiry into a positive swab taken from Frodlaw after the horse had won the Casterton Cup on May 16. Cerchi was charged with having administered, or caused to be administered tb Frodlaw, the drug nicotine. Williams and Star were charged with having conspired with Cerchi. The placings in the Casterton Cup were amended to Saintly Fire 1, Sun Worship 2 and Double Desert 3. The Frodlaw inquiry was one of the most sensational in Victorian racing for years. After Frodlaw had won the Casterton Cup, his abnormal behaviour in the mounting yard caused the stewards to order him to be swabbed. The saliva specimen taken was found to contain traces of alkaloid nicotine.

Frodlaw, which ran a record 2mln 3sec for the 10 furlongs .cup, has since galloped brilliantly and was to have left this week for Adelaide to run in the Birthday Cup at Victoria Park next Saturday. This year’s Casterton Cup was Cerchi's second successive win in the race. He scored with White Friar last year. He is a former leading jockey on country, as well as metropolitan courses, and has been training successfully for many years.