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Racing NSW Stewards have conducted an inquiry into the alleged breach of the terms and/or conditions of a suspension of Ms Tayla Poy’s stablehand licence - in full - between Friday, 1 March 2024 and Thursday, 14 March 2024 inclusive.

Further, Stewards inquired into the alleged provision of false and/or misleading evidence to Racing NSW Investigator, Mr Matthew Johnson in interviews held on Thursday ,4 July 2024.

Evidence was taken from licensed trainer Ms Cathy Chapman, licensed stable hands Ms T. Poy and Mr B. Crispin and non-industry participant Mr J. Causley.

After considering all the evidence, Stewards issued the following charges –

Ms Tayla Poy

Charge 1- Penalty for breach of terms of suspension (AR270A(1))

Between Friday, 1 March 2024 and Thursday, 14 March 2024, whilst her stablehand licence was suspended - in full - she did perform stablehand duties at the registered stable premises of licensed trainer Ms Cathy Chapman, without the consent of Racing NSW or the Stewards and in contravention of the terms and/or conditions of the suspension.

Plea – Guilty

Charge 2 – Provision of false and / or misleading information (AR232(i))

On Thursday, 4 July 2024 she did provide false and/or misleading information, on a number of occasions, when interviewed by a Racing NSW Investigator.

Plea – Guilty

Ms Cathy Chapman

Charge 1 – Provision of false and / or misleading information (AR232(i))

On Thursday, 4 July 2024 she did provide false and/or misleading information, on a number of occasions, when interviewed by a Racing NSW Investigator.

Plea – Guilty

Charge 2 - Party to a person committing a breach of the Rules (AR227(b))

Between Friday, 1 March 2024 and Thursday, 14 March 2024 she was a party to licensed stablehand Ms Tayla Poy committing a breach of AR270A(1) by permitting Ms Poy to perform stablehand duties at her registered stable premises, without the consent of Racing NSW or the Stewards and in contravention of the terms and/or conditions of a suspension of Ms Poy’s stablehand licence in full.

Plea – Guilty

The Stewards considered the following matters when determining the matter of penalty:

1. Plea entered
2. Serious nature of the offences
3. Disciplinary history & years involved in the racing industry
4. Precedent penalties
5. Professional and personal circumstances
6. Principle of specific and general deterrence and what message is sent to the industry in respect to such conduct.
7. Purpose of issuing penalties as a protective measure for the image and interests of the Thoroughbred industry

PENALTIES

Ms Tayla Poy

Charge 1: Stewards believe the appropriate starting point of penalty be a disqualification of 4 months. Appreciating Ms Poy’s guilty plea, a 3 month disqualification was issued.

Charge 2: Stewards believe the appropriate starting point of penalty be a disqualification of 4 months. Appreciating Ms Poy’s guilty plea, a 3 month disqualification was issued.

Stewards ordered that the penalties to be served cumulatively, being a total disqualification of 6 months.

Stewards ordered that the disqualification commence immediately and expire on Thursday, 27 February 2025, at which time Ms Poy may re apply for a licence.

Ms Cathy Chapman

Charge 1: Stewards believed the appropriate starting point of penalty be a disqualification of 4 months. Appreciating Ms Chapman’s guilty plea and mitigating factors, a 2 month disqualification was issued.

Charge 2: Stewards believed the appropriate starting point of penalty be a suspension of Ms Chapman’s trainer’s licence for a period of 2 months. Having regard to Ms Chapmans’ guilty plea and mitigating factors, Ms Chapman’s trainer licence was suspended for a period of one month.

Stewards ordered that the penalties be served cumulatively. Under the powers of AR283(7), Stewards ordered the period of disqualification be deferred for a period of 7 days.

The period of disqualification to commence on Tuesday, 3 September 2024 and expire Sunday, 3 November 2024 at which time a suspension of Ms Chapman’s trainers licence will commence and subsequently expire on Tuesday, 3 December 2024, at which time she may re apply for a licence.

Ms Poy and Ms Chapman were advised of their appeal rights.

- T.L. Vanderstok (Deputy Chief Steward, Northern Rivers Racing Association)