Wentworth Park features prominently in the final disciplinary action decisions published by the Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission.
A review of these disciplinary decisions reveals a litany of doping and cruelty.
In the past two years, at least seventeen trainers have been fined, suspended or disqualified following positive swabs taken from their greyhounds during race meets at Wentworth Park. Only around fifteen percent of greyhounds are actually swabbed for prohibited substances.
In many of these disciplinary hearings trainers plead guilty to take advantage of a 25 percent reduction in penalty. Welfare advocates believe the fines and suspensions are largely inadequate, and greyhounds continue to be doped. The list includes leading trainers and She’s A Pearl, “the greatest prizemoney earner”.
Summary of Wentworth Park Disciplinary Action Decisions 2021-2023
- The NSW Trainer of the Year in 2023, Jason Magri, was penalised for one of his greyhounds testing positive to cocaine and its metabolites sixteen hours after the dog raced at Wentworth Park on July 4 2020. He received a nine month suspension. During the same visit to his property by GWIC investigators, shock collars were found as well. The following year Magri was fined $5000 for “misconduct” at a race meet at Wentworth Park on 27 November 2021.
- On 23 July 2022 trainer Mark Gatt struck his greyhound “Hudson Road” on the side of his head when presenting the greyhound for weighing. The greyhound raised its head and made contact with the trainer’s head. According to the disciplinary decision, when spoken to by stewards Gatt said “if a greyhound hits you in the fucking head, you fucking hit the cunt”, “the dog’s a fucking faggot” and “I fucking…clipped him”. Hudson Road is now listed as “retired”. Gatt was disqualified for six months. He continues to race greyhounds regularly at Wentworth Park.
- Trainer Denice Warren was suspended for six weeks (wholly and conditionally suspended for twelve months) for doping her greyhound Infrared Rays at Wentworth Park on 25 November 2023 with phenobarbitone. This is a prohibited substance used to treat epilepsy and available only on prescription. Phenobarbitone can cause aggression in dogs.
- On 13 October 2023 Robert Howard was found in possession of syringes and found to have administered “a substance” to his greyhound at Wentworth Park. He was fined $1,300 for three charges.
- On September 20, 2023 trainer Charlie Gatt presented his greyhound “Sirius Cuddles” to race at Wentworth Park. A post race swab showed the greyhound had been doped with 5B Androstane-3a, 17B-Diol, an androgenic steroid and permanently banned substance. Gatt has been disqualified for eight months. He raced “Sirius Cuddles” as recently as February 2024 at Wentworth Park. She came last in her most recent race.
- On 4 November 2023 “Kangaroo Jack” was swabbed following his race at Wentworth Park. His trainer Sydney Swain was suspended for five weeks following the painkiller meloxicam being detected in the swab at higher concentrations than allowed. “Kangaroo Jack” continues to be raced at Wentworth Park. On January 27 he won his race and was swabbed again. On March 16 he fell at the first turn and did not finish.
- “Zambora Tiger” was raced at Wentworth Park on 20 May 2023 and later returned a positive swab result to 4-hydroxy zylazine. His trainer Scott Tyson claimed it was as a result of eating “contaminated meat” and was fined $1,500 (wholly suspended for twelve months). A quick perusal of The Greyhound Recorder shows Tyson has not raced a greyhound since October 2023. It appears “Zambora Tiger” was for much of 2023 his only racing greyhound. She is still listed as “racing”.
- On 4 March 2023 trainer Tracey Kovacic presented her greyhound “Agent Nevada” for racing at Wentworth Park. A post race swab showed the presence of Ipamorelin, a growth hormone. Kovacic was suspended for twelve months (wholly and conditionally suspended) and fined $3,000. Kovacic has not raced a greyhound since September 2023 and “Agent Nevada” is still listed as “racing”.
- Trainer Vincent Spiteri was fined $2,000 and his registration suspended for ten weeks (suspended for twelve months) for doping his greyhound “Sally’s Reward” with caffeine when she returned a positive swab result after racing at Wentworth Park on 12 March 2022. He is still racing “Sally’s Reward” in Masters races, she will turn five in March 2024. She has been raced seventy seven times for nearly $97,000 in prizemoney.
- On April 16 2022 “Payton Keeping” was swabbed following her race at Wentworth Park. It returned a positive cobalt reading. Her trainer Charmaine Roberts pleaded guilty and was disqualified for thirteen months. It was her fourth such offence. The trainer continues to race greyhounds. “Payton Keeping” is listed as “retired”.
- At Wentworth Park on 16 February 2022 trainer Aaron Williams presented the greyhound “Fergie Pepper” who ran first in her race and was swabbed. The swab returned a cobalt level above the permitted threshold and Williams’ registration was suspended for ten weeks. He is still racing greyhounds. “Fergie Pepper” last raced in April 2022 at Wentworth Park. She fell and fractured her off side hock and was issued with a ninety day incapacitation. She has not raced since but is still listed as “racing”.
- “She’s a Pearl” won her race at Wentworth Park on 27 October 2021 and her subsequent swab showed cobalt above the permitted threshold. Her trainer Peter Sims was suspended for eight weeks. “She’s a Pearl” went on to race sixty four times for winnings of nearly $1.8 million. She is listed as “retired”.
- On 7 July 2021 “Zambora Rex” was raced at Wentworth Park and was swabbed after his win. The swab came back positive for methylprednisolone, a prohibited substance. At the disciplinary hearing his trainer Joseph Sciberras admitted doping the greyhound and it was noted this was not his first doping offence. He was suspended for four weeks. “Zambora Rex” is listed as “retired”, having last raced in 2022 with a different trainer. Joseph Sciberras has not raced a greyhound in NSW since October 2023.
- At Wentworth Park on 19 February 2022 trainer Peter Sims presented “Bruce Mick Glenn” to race a week after the greyhound had won at Temora track. He was swabbed both times and returned a positive reading for dexamethasone. The greyhound’s vet had prescribed “the wrong medication” for his painful pannus eye condition. Peter Sims was fined $2,000. “Bruce Mick Glenn” was passed onto a South Australian trainer and he is now listed as “retired (deceased)” – after he’d suffered a wrist sprain in his last race and was stood down for 10 days.
- Trainer Karina Britton presented “Wow” for racing at Wentworth Park on 23 January 2023. The subsequent swab was positive for cocaine and its metabolites which are all permanently banned prohibited substances. Some of the levels of the metabolites were “the highest detected in a canine urine sample in this laboratory” (the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory). Britton was suspended for twelve months. She appears to have ceased training. “Wow” was passed onto another owner/trainer who now breeds from him. He won more than $460,000 during his “career”.
- “Emerald Green” won his race at Wentworth Park on 23 Jube 2021. His swab returned positive to amphetamine and a derivative. Trainer Paul Camilleri admitted doping the greyhound and was disqualified for thirteen months. “Emerald Green” is now with another trainer and has raced recently at Wentworth Park. He will be five in a couple of months time.
- Trainer Chrystal Hensing pleaded not guilty to doping not one but two of her greyhounds with arsenic. “Bones Mccoy” returned a positive swab following his win at Wentworth Park on 1 May 2021. “Bruce Mick Glenn” was the other dog, who was then passed onto trainer Peter Sims and into the care of a vet who treated his pannus with the wrong medication. Hensing was suspended for twelve weeks. She continues to race greyhounds at Wentworth Park. “Bones Mccoy” was passed to a Western Australian trainer and is listed as “racing” despite last racing in January 2023.
- On 23 January 2021 trainer Rob Tyler’s greyhound “Zipping Truvy” ran second at Wentworth Park. She was swabbed and returned a positive result for dexamethasone, a prohibited substance. Tyler admitted the charge and was suspended for four weeks. At the same disciplinary hearing he was also found guilty of betting to lose against his own greyhounds on twenty occasions. “Zipping Truvy” is listed as “retired”. Rob Tyler continues to train and race at Wentworth Park.
- “Kurios Motion” was swabbed at Wentworth Park following her race on 13 February 2021. Following a positive finding for 4-hydroxyl xylazine, her trainer Kerry Drynan had her registration suspended for 28 weeks. She still races dogs at Wentworth Park. “Kurios Motion” is listed as “retired”.
See here for the full Disciplinary Action Decisions on the Greyhound Welfare & Integrity Commission website