TARRANT DISQUALIFIED FOR SIX MONTHS

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Racing Queensland Stewards have disqualified apprentice Luke Tarrant from racing for a period of six months after the rider pleaded guilty to a charge under AR81A(1)(a), in that on 2 December 2015 he provided a sample of urine to the stewards, which, upon analysis, was found to contain substances banned under AR81(B).

In a press release, stewards stressed the serious nature of the breach with regard to the use of a prohibited substance and the potential for Tarrant’s use of the substance to compromise the safety of his fellow riders and the horses that he competed against on the above-mentioned date.

Submissions made by Tarrant regarding his personal circumstances, as well as his guilty plea, were taken into account by stewards before handing down what they believed to be an appropriate penalty.

Tarrant’s disqualification takes effect on January 13 January and will expire on 13 July 2016.

Stewards also advised Tarrant that he would be required to reapply for an Apprentice Jockey’s licence prior to the expiration of the disqualification and that he must comply with the provisions of AR81A(4) and deliver a sample free of any banned substance under AR81B before being permitted to handle any horse or ride track-work again.

The release concludes with the information that Tarrant has been offered counselling through Racing Queensland’s Jockey Welfare Officer Jenny Schofield and also access to Sports Psychologist Rachel Jones.

While it can be difficult to raise any sympathy for young riders caught up in this situation, it can only be hoped that Tarrant not only gets solid counselling but that he follows all of the advice on offer so that he can come back ready to use his abundant riding talent to its full advantage.

Tarrant’s fall from grace in the twelve months since riding last year’s Magic Millions winner has been a fairly rapid one. First a reckless riding charge suspension, which halted his then significant momentum, and now the disqualification.

The climb back will take longer but, with the right support, it can be done and hopefully Tarrant will be looking forward to that and not looking back.

Little sympathy ... maybe. A huge task to get back ... absolutely.

Tarrant’s future career is in his own hands now, with hopefully the necessary help from guidance professionals and friends.

Nobody likes to see a natural talent go to waste and the hope is that Tarrant can fight back in the coming months to ensure that ultimately, that won’t be the case here.