Darryl Hansen is considering abandoning his training career all together after Racing Queensland handed him a six month suspension and a $10,000 fine after two of his horses tested positive to prohibited substances.
The trainer was suspended for six months after he was found guilty of presenting Hussonator to race with elevated TCO2 (bicarb) levels.
Stewards then fined Hansen $10,000 for a separate incident which involved Essington returning a positive swab following his almost two length victory in the Newmarket Handicap at Rockhampton.
Essington has now been disqualified from the race, despite another swab result deeming him under the required substance threshold.
Hansen is adamant that he is completely innocent and plans to appeal the charges.
“I am not guilty and I will be appealing both penalties,” Hansen said.
“If I don’t win on appeal then Queensland racing has lost another trainer.
“I won’t be training in Queensland again when I come back if I lose these appeals.
“This will destroy me and my family and all my employees.”
Hansen cannot understand how he has been reprimanded for Essington’s swab result, when there was an inconsistency with the tests.
“They (stewards) have charged and found me guilty when only one sample was over the threshold and the other sample was below the threshold,” he said.
“I don’t think I had a case to answer.
“Then I was walloped with a $10,000 fine when there’s been only three previous convictions for similar offences and the previous biggest fine was $6,000.
“It’s a joke. I’m appealing both sentences as I’m not guilty and haven’t done anything to my horses.”