Qld Stewards strict on new time rule

Queensland stewards have shown they are determined to enforce the new rule on the time feature race runners must arrive at meetings by fining two of the state’s biggest stables.

Trainer Toby Edmonds and Chris Waller’s Queensland manager Paul Shailer were fined $1000 with $500 suspended for 12 months on Saturday.

They pleaded guilty to breaching a new Queensland rule that runners in feature races have to be on course three hours before start time.

The Edmonds-trained Awake The Stars and Waller’s pair Torgensen and Araaja were on a float from the Gold Coast when they should have been on track.

Edmonds and Waller are currently equal second on the metropolitan trainers’ premiership.

A third trainer, Paul Jenkins, escaped any action when stewards confirmed the float driver for his mare Travistee had taken a wrong turn on arrival at Eagle Farm.

The new rule was introduced into Queensland on July 1 and they were the first metropolitan trainers to be fined under it.

Lauren Herne was the first when fined $1000 with $500 suspended at the Rockhampton meeting on July 6.

Chief steward Peter Chadwick said the rule brought Queensland into line with other jurisdictions.

“The rule has been well publicised and will be enforced to improve integrity,” he said.