By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
VETERAN Devon Meadows greyhound trainer Jon Roberts has been banned from the sport for life after he was found guilty of live baiting.
The independent Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board announced it had disqualified the Melbourne Cup winning trainer on Tuesday, after Mr Roberts was charged with using a live rabbit for bait in November.
It comes after another greyhound racing stalwart, Anthony Mills, was also handed a life ban from the sport on 24 June, and trainer Eric Sykes given a 10-year disqualification with five suspended.
In 2009, Mr Roberts won the Group 1 Solo Melbourne Cup with the dog Lord Ducal.
A state-commissioned report recently concluded “clandestine” live baiting of greyhounds was “well known” and unlikely to have been confined to the Tooradin Trial Track.
On 11 June, the State Government tabled a report by Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna in addition to a chief veterinary officer report on the practice.
The investigations were launched after ABC TV aired covert footage in February of live possums and rabbits twitching on lures and mauled by greyhounds at the trial track.
Seven trainers – Christopher Connolly, Dennis Dean, Brett Mackie, Darren McDonald, Anthony Mills, Jon Roberts and Eric Sykes – linked to Tooradin were suspended and charged by Greyhound Racing Victoria.
The 40-acre Tooradin Trial Track has been shut down since February, and put on the market by its owner and suspended greyhound trainer Stuart Mills for $945,000.
