The following attracted a negligence charge and a $100 fine in early 1970. "The swab taken from Lyn's Rambler after the brilliant sprinter failed at Harold Park on 4 January proved to be positive to caffeine. My Jim House, Lyn's Rambler's owner-trainer was fined $100 on a negligence charge and Mr Jim Carr Chief Steward at Harold Park issued an edict that Mr House was to be the only person in future permitted to place Lyn's Rambler into the starting boxes. This followed Mr House's statement that he had taken ill just before Lyn's Ramber's race and that his son Brian had handled the dog on 4 January. Brian said that the bitch was nervy and a one man greyhound and had become upset when he handled her. He told the stewards that he gave her a headache powder to settle her down and felt that this could have caused the caffeine finding". Honestly, how much would such an offence attract these days and where, when and how did he give the headache powder to the bitch, in the kennel block I suppose just before heading out to parade up the long straight to the 500 yard starting boxes.

The point regarding the above post that really bemuses me, is that it clearly reads that Lyn's Rambler must have been given the "headache powder" between Brian House entering the kennel block to handle her for the race and heading out on to the track to parade. I didn't know them but I strongly suspect that the Houses were good people just trying to do the right thing by their bitch, albeit terribly naive but what were the stewards in the kennels doing at that time. Security and associated monitoring must have been pathetic. Why I mention this again is reflecting on events of later that year when poor old Bill Plowright (trainer of Rokoko and to my knowledge, a very kind and honest man) , was given 6 months by those same stewards regarding this incident. This related to the 4 dog match race debacle involving Zoom Top, Sammie Sparrow, Rokoko and I think Gala's Dream from Victoria when several bookmakers were either suspended or denied permission to field at Harold Park again. The stewards ought to have had a good look at themselves. Who knows what was going on in or near those kennels. Incidents like this have tended to make me not jump to conclusions about people charged with varying types of offences.

Yutha, keep going mate, I know exactley what your talking about. But that was in the old days and things have changed heaps nowadays. Not 100% but it never will be. I've been there and seen it all. When you have followed the dogs extensively for 40 years, you get to know first hand whats going on. But it's getting a little better and thats what I like. Just knowing my dog is there having a good chance. The stewards these days are nothing like the stewards of yester year.To me they are a great bunch of people and a lot friendlier and you can talk to them as mates. Thats what I think anyway.

coops