VETERAN Brisbane trainer Pat Duff has been found not guilty of a charge of conduct prejudicial to the interests of racing following an inquiry involving the circumstances surrounding the sale of a handy race mare at auction.

Following the inquiry, conducted under the chairmanship of John Schreck at the Deagon offices of Racing Queensland this week, a stewards’ report was released which reads:

‘On July 26, 2010 Racing Queensland Limited under, the chairmanship of Mr John Schreck, adjudicating steward, conducted a hearing at Racing Queensland offices at Deagon where licensed trainer, Patrick Duff appeared in relation to events that occurred at an auction at the Magic Millions auction on June 8, 2010.

Duff was charged with a breach of AR175A: "Any person bound by the rules who either within a racecourse or elsewhere in the opinion of the Committee of any club or the Stewards has been guilty of conduct prejudicial to the image, or interests, or welfare of racing may be penalized".

The particulars of the matter were that Patrick Duff was charged with conduct prejudicial to the interests of racing in that as a licensed person, as an agent on behalf of the owners of a five-year-old mare, Spanish Fling, conducted himself in a way which was prejudicial to the interests of racing in that he failed to disclose to all the owners his pre-determined intention to, if possible, buy the abovementioned horse, when it was submitted for public auction at the Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast, June 8, 2010, having arranged prior to the sale for an Eric Graham Henderson, to bid for the horse on his behalf.

As a consequence he placed himself in a position where his personal interests conflicted with his fiduciary duties to his principals, they being all the owners of Spanish Fling.

At the conclusion of the hearing and after hearing evidence from several witnesses and consideration of the evidence presented the adjudicating steward was not satisfied that there had been a breach of the rules and found that the charge could not be sustained and found Patrick Duff not guilty.’

(SPANISH FLING won off a freshen at the Doomben midweeks on June 30 is one of the favorites for the opening race at Doomben tomorrow. It now races in the ownership of D. Duff.)