BIRDSVILLE WINNER OFICIALLY DUSQUALIFIED

By Graham Potter | Thursday, December 18, 2025

It is a story that has been in the wind for quite a while and the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission has now released findings confirming the disqualification the Birdsville Cup winner Testator Silens,

Trainer Clinton Austin was charged on two counts.
Charge 1: … that a post-race blood sample of Testator Silens contained the prohibited sunstone Bupivacaine and Lignocaine during a period that Austin was at all relevant times, the licensed trainer of Testator Silens.

Charge 2: … for the period leading up to and inclusive of 6 September 2025, Austin failed to record the treatments provided to horses under his care, which he is required to do under the Australian Rules Of Racing.

Austin pleaded guilty to the charge, after which the stewards weighed up several considerations with regard to assessing penalty, including Austin’s cooperation in the inquiry process and his almost forty years in the industry with no previous breaches of the prohibited substance rules.

Charge 1: Austin was fined $4000 with $2000 of that penalty wholly suspended for 24 months conditional that Mr Austin does not breach any of the prohibited substances in that period.

Charge 2: Fined $300.

With Testatpr Sirens disqualification … stewards amended the finishing order to read,

1 The Driller
2 Scorched Land
3 Without Revenge
4 Victory Bay