Trainer fined $10,000 and horse stripped of Group 1 win after positive test

Australian trainer James Cummings has been fined Aus$10,000 and Godolphin-owned mare Savatiano stripped of her sole Group 1 win following an inquiry by Racing New South Wales stewards on Tuesday.

Stewards disqualified Savatiano from the Canterbury Stakes at Randwick last March and imposed the hefty fine on Cummings following the mare's positive tests for banned substances trendione, trenbolone and epitrenbolone after last year's 6½f race.

Racing NSW chief steward Marc Van Gestel said that while no specific cause had been pinpointed as to the reason for the positive tests, stewards were satisfied there had been no illegal administration of the substances, which are all found in the drug altrenogest and is used on mares.

Stewards heard evidence that Savatiano was being orally administered Ovumate (containing altrenogest) but were satisfied she had not been treated within two clear days of her racing, as per the rules.

"Having regard to the mitigating factors detailed above and guilty plea, stewards determined the appropriate penalty was a A$10,000 fine," a Racing NSW release said.

Savatiano had been a five-time Group 2 winner before narrowly breaking her Group 1 duck in the Canterbury Stakes.

Runner-up Mizzy was a few months later sold as a non-Group 1-winning mare for $2.2 million at the Gold Coast National Broodmare sale last May, but has now been elevated as a Group 1 winner following Savatiano's disqualification.

Savatiano was retired at the end of last season and has since been covered by Godolphin stallion Lonhro.

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