Australian star Payne 'accepts responsibility' for failing drug test

Michelle Payne tested positive for the banned substance Phentermine after being prescribed the drug by her doctor as part of her treatment for a split pancreas sustained in a fall last May, according to the chairman of the Australian Jockeys Association.

Speaking to Australia's ABC News, Des O'Keefe said Payne is "extremely disappointed" by the failed test, which came about following a urine sample provided at Swan Hill on June 11, and accepts responsibility for it.

The Racing Victoria stewards received notification of Payne's positive test on June 23, three days after she rode at Royal Ascot, and stood her down.

Payne, who is the headline act at this year's Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot on August 12, looks set to face a ban in the region of four weeks.

O'Keefe said the Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, who partnered Kaspersky to fifth in last week's Queen Anne Stakes, is looking forward to assisting stewards in an inquiry at Racing Victoria headquarters in Melbourne on Thursday.

"After that split pancreas last year, which was widely reported, her GP has in good faith prescribed her this as something that would assist her," said O'Keefe.

"Unfortunately [it's] Michelle's onus is to be aware of what she can and can't take and that should have been provided to the doctor who then may have come up with an alternative treatment that didn't breach the rule once tested.

"I think it's fair to say she's extremely disappointed this has occurred. She accepts full responsibility for having this substance, this appetite suppressant, in her system.

Fellow jockey Hugh Bowman tested positive for Phentermine in 2003 and was given a six-week ban, while Damien Oliver was suspended in 2009 for a month for using an appetite suppressant but successfully appealed against the decision.

"The penalty for Phentermine offences has usually sat around the give or take four weeks depending on the circumstances, that's four weeks' riding," O'Keefe said.

"The issue with it is that being a banned substance, even though it was prescribed, in this case, by a medical practitioner, the onus is on the rider to ensure that what's in their system won't lead to a breach of the rules."

Payne shot to fame when steering 100-1 shot Prince Of Penzance to glory in the 2015 Melbourne Cup. As well as riding, Payne has also started training horses and stated she would love to try to win the Melbourne Cup as a trainer as well as a jockey.