Dale pleaded guilty after Lautaro returned a positive post-race urine sample to prohibited substance altrenogest following his win at the Scone carnival in May.

Former Albury trainer Brett Cavanough and licenced people Stephanie Alexander and Alexandra Maher provided evidence, via teleconference, at the hearing.

It was found that Lautaro was transported to Cavanough’s new stables at Scone, where he was to be stabled until the race.

It was further established that Lautaro was housed between two female horses that were being routinely treated with altrenogest, as per normal stable practice of Cavanough.

Altrenogest is the active ingredient in a number of registered prescription animal remedies used to regulate the cyclic activity of fillies and mares.

Racing NSW stewards were comfortably satisfied that there was sufficient evidence to suggest that the likely route of exposure and or administration was by way of inadvertent contamination

Dale was fined $6000 and Lautaro was disqualified from the first placing at Scone.

Read Racing NSW’s stewards transcript here.