KEY POINTS:
Harness Racing New Zealand is set to review a rule which leaves trainers liable to be charged every race meeting - but not until convicting leading trainer Geoff Small under it.
Small has been charged with using a syringe to administer a substance HRNZ bosses admit contains nothing
prohibited to Changeover and Awesome Armbro before last month's New Zealand Cup.
While the vitamin-based substance, named Boost, contains no prohibited substances, Small has been charged under Rule 1004 (6), because he administered it to both horses in the syringe or applicator in which it comes from the manufacturer.
HRNZ rules said a horse cannot have any substance administered to it by syringe on race day.
So if a trainer even gave a horse a drink of water using a syringe or applicator they would be open to be charged.
While HRNZ boss Edward Rennell admits he believes Small was not trying to break any rule by administering Boost, he still broke the rules and has to be charged.
The charges are unlikely to amount to much, with a guilty plea from Small likely to be met with only a small fine.
But the problem is Small is not only guilty of two charges but well over 500, including with champion pacer Elsu before his 2005 Interdominion win.
"I have used this on race day on almost every horse I have started in the last two years," admits Small.
"I never knew there was anything wrong with it and really, why should there be?
"I am being told I can give them this stuff by hand, or on a spoon or something stupid like that, but I can't give it to them from the packet which it is bought in.
"If that is the case then surely the manufacturers have to specify that otherwise all of us (trainers) can be charged."
Vitamin supplements for horses, such as Boost, are popular with trainers on raceday as they supposedly aid a horse's recovery from a hard run.
They are used commonly by trainers throughout Australasia every race day but Small's use only came to HRNZ attention because his horses were under guard because they were in the New Zealand Cup.
"But that is what I can't understand. We have used the exact same stuff in in the same way in front of guards in four states in Australia, before the New Zealand Cup, Interdominions and Hunter Cup with Elsu and with Winforu in last season's New Zealand Cup and it has never been an issue.
"But now it is?"
Rennell says trainer should have been aware using a syringe to administer anything on race day is an offence after Canterbury trainer Joe Clementson was found guilty of a case this year.
"I don't think it is a good look to be administering anything by syringe on raceday, regardless of what it is."
Rennell added the rule would probably be reviewed at some stage, "under our normal process with these things".
But that won't be until Small's case has been completed.
"I wouldn't mind pleading guilty and taking the fine as long as they (HRNZ) promise to do something about it because I am sure this affects a whole lot of trainers who have never given it a second thought," said Small.
"They (HRNZ) say I should have read the summation of the Clementson case but who ever reads the whole of those things. I doubt most trainers even understand what it all means."
The charges, one for each horse, are the latest and least serious in a year-long standoff between HRNZ and Small over positive caffeine tests returned by two of his horses.
Those cases have been delayed until at least April at the requests of Small's lawyers, Barry Hart.
While the latest charges are far less serious, the repercussions for other trainers and the equine supplements industry could be far-reaching.
