HORSE RACING
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Kembla Grange trainer Paul Murray will face an inquiry after unlabelled substances were found at his stables when Racing NSW's surveillance team swooped on several properties in the region on Tuesday.
Nathan Hayward and his investigation and surveillance unit tendered photographic evidence to an inquiry opened at the Kembla races. The raid detected two bottles which were unmarked.
Murray was grilled by the meeting's chairman of stewards Greg Rudolph about the specifics of the substances before stewards adjourned the inquiry to a later date.
"They [Investigation and Surveillance Unit] were doing routine raceday inspections around the region including Goulburn [on Tuesday]," Rudolph said.
"Just after lunch, they were in the stables of Paul Murray and they identified preparations which weren't known to them and weren't clearly identified.
"We questioned Paul Murray and he wasn't able to identify the substances, what they were used for, how long ago they were used or how they got there."
The substances were taken to the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory at Randwick on Tuesday for analysis.
A date for the inquiry to resume will be set once the results of testing were known.
"We're hopeful we'd have a turnaround within seven days for one of the two bottles of liquid," Rudolph said.
Rudolph said all other properties inspected at Kembla and Goulburn were clear.
Stewards allowed Murray's runners to start at Kembla on Tuesday as they were satisfied there was no evidence of raceday treatment for his acceptors.
Murray only had two starters at Kembla with Fastnet Flyer involved in a near four-way blanket finish in the Benchmark 65 Handicap (2000m). He eventually finished just outside the placings as John Sargent's Super Mover held on to win.
His other runner, the resuming Pin 'Em Down, wound up over the concluding stages despite finishing well down the track behind Redhawks in the Benchmark 70 Handicap (1200m).
Murray's father, Bede, enjoyed a day out with Life Of Reilly scoring in the Benchmark 65 Handicap (1400m).
Paul Murray's stable has been a regular in stakes races over the past couple of years thanks to the deeds of former headline horse Alma's Fury.
He prepared the gelding to multiple black type wins - including an Apollo Stakes win at Group 2 level - in 2013 before the horse was transferred to Group 1-winning Tony Gollan.