RACING NSW Stewards on Tuesday conducted the hearing of a charge issued against Mr Bruce Clark of having breached AR175(l) in that he acquiesced with Mr Luke Murrell of Australian Bloodstock in making false statements and in Mr Murrell’s provision of false documents to Racing NSW, in respect to Mr Clark’s ownership interest in the racehorse Hathras.

(At an inquiry of the 19th July 2013, Australian Bloodstock Directors Mr Luke Murrell and Mr Jamie Lovett were fined $5,000 and $3,000 respectively after pleading guilty to making false statements to RNSW Racecourse Detective Mr Albert Gardner concerning the ownership interests of Mr Bruce Clark and Mr Dean Petit in the racehorse Hathras).

Evidence and submissions were taken from Mr Bruce Clark who was assisted by Mr Damien Sheales, Barrister. Mr Pete Sweney, RNSW General Counsel, assisted the inquiry.

In considering the charge, the Stewards accepted that for Mr Clark to be found guilty of being a party to Mr Murrell’s actions, they would need to be satisfied that Mr Clark had prior knowledge and agreed with Mr Murrell's actions of the 28th March 2013, in providing Mr Gardner with false information.

In not sustaining the charge, the Stewards could not be satisfied that, on the 28th March 2013 when the false information was supplied by Mr Luke Murrell, which included documents purporting to be receipts for Mr Clark’s payment of his share in Hathras and his payment of training fees, Mr Clark had been aware of Mr Murrell’s actions.

Mr Clark was, however, advised that in the opinion of the Stewards, as an experienced member of the racing media, that there was ample time between when he did become aware that false information concerning himself had been lodged with RNSW and the 31st May 2013 (when Mr Murrell first made admissions to Mr Gardner that the information he had supplied was false), during which Mr Clark could and should have corrected the record.

Mr Clark was further advised that the proper course of action for him would have been to contact RNSW Stewards immediately he knew that false information had been supplied, rather than remain silent and appear complicit in that deception.