Racehorse TALK

A "recreational" one by the sounds

by that you meen more riders PD 

I'm sure there's an element of crying after you've been guilt, but if ever some one was going to use it as turning point these comments read like it. He's only 19yo I wish him all the best in seeing the error of his ways and getting back on track.


By Mathew Toogood
SYDNEY, May 31 AAP - A tearful Josh Adams has vowed to rebuild his career after he serves a lengthy suspension for a positive drug test.
Sydney's leading apprentice was outed for seven months on Tuesday after pleading guilty to returning a positive result to an unnamed banned substance.
The hearing was held in camera until Racing NSW stewards issued their penalty, but afterwards 19-year-old Adams voluntarily fronted reporters with the support of Racing NSW's apprentice jockeys' mentor Pat Webster.
"I'm guilty of stupidity more than anything for putting myself in a position where I was compromised," Adams said.
"I didn't knowingly take anything at the time but I shouldn't have been in that position in the first place."
He said the positive result detected in a urine sample taken at the Gosford race meeting on April 5 stemmed from a night out after the Golden Slipper three days earlier.
"I was in a situation where I wasn't with people I would usually associate with, people not in racing," he said.
"The last concluding part of the night is a bit of a blur, I wasn't 100 per cent sure what happened."
Adams was joined in the inquiry by Webster and new master Gerald Ryan who took over his indentures from Hawkesbury trainer Garry Frazer in mid-April.
Webster said Adams had offered to try to help other young riders who might find themselves similarly compromised.
"Josh has volunteered to be a role model in future, so they can learn from his mistakes," Webster said.
"That shows how sincere he is. He wants to make something good from something bad."
Adams is set to win his first Sydney apprentices' premiership.
The talented rider has a seemingly unassailable 25-win lead over his nearest rival with just two months of the season remaining.
His ban starts after Saturday's Rosehill meeting where he will ride last-start McKell Cup winner Ironstein in the Listed Winter Cup (2400m).
His suspension will be reduced from seven months to five months as long as he satisfactorily completes counselling.
Under that condition, he can return to trackwork on September 5 and race riding on November 5.
A contrite and emotional Adams said his immediate goals might go unfulfilled but he vowed to rise above the setback.
"I know that when I come back there won't be a rider in Sydney that will ride better than me," Adams said.
"I'll just have to put my goals on hold for a little while."
Stewards took into consideration Adams' age, his good record in four years in the industry, his forthright evidence and personal circumstances when considering penalty.
They also pointed to apprentice Jamie Quinnell's seven-month suspension in 2009 as a precedent.

.  Nuf said.

"The last concluding part of the night is a bit of a blur, I wasn't 100 per cent sure what happened."


it would be a shame if his drink was spiked but in saying that you have to be careful at the top because there would be plenty wanting to bring you down. pretty common these days to have something slipped into a drink, even barmen have been caught out. the kids today are eating these pills like tic tac's and you only need a friendly bird who wants to go a little further to lob one in your drink.

if he popped a pill then tough luck hes broke the rules but if it was a case of drink spiking its very sad for this young man and his family.

Probably more common that people take them of their own accord to though Rumples 

So Josh gets 7 months for taking some ecstasy one night and having it still in his system ( he wasn't riding "high") and Ganderton gets 2 months for stealing ???

Doesn't quite sound right to me 

Can someone explain me, did he put anyone in danger while riding with recreational drug in his system? I will find it hard to believe that popping a pill three days earlier would still have an effect on his reflexes and his reaction time. Unless this is the case, I think it is extremely unfortunate and totally wrong to take someone's livelihood away.

Any drug authorities should not have a right to test for recreational drugs, unless it has a direct performance related advantage. I cannot say that I can see the relevance here. While they are doing it, they should test all licenced people, including trainers, bookmakers, stewards and journalists. Throw in the police and politicians as well.

yea, like i said they eat them like tic tacs, my point was it would be sad if hes unknowingly taken something while out pissed.

Would be sad if that was the case mate,

But a good lesson in it for the kid, don't put yourself in that situation to begin with.

I go out most weekends to clubs, pubs etc, and have been doing so since I was 15 - 16.

Not once have I had my drink spiked, so maybe he needs to re-evaluate who he hangs around 

It is total load of bollocks that someone is spiking your drink with ecstacy. We have heard it mentioned it by various sportspeople in the past. I have no idea what does ecstacy tablet cost, but I would find it extremely unlikely that someone would spend say $30 to then put it into someone else's drink. More than likely he was drunk off his nut and doesn't remember much, hence is comment about "night being a blur and not 100% what happened".

Drink spiking is a serious problem and most likely happens to girls who have been given date rape drug. Using this as an excuse is a way to trivialise a serious problem.

Still, further to my previous post, I think it is wrong he is being tested for ecstasy, unless it is a peformance enhancing drug or has en effect on his performance and reflexes. Just having it in the system is no excuse for suspending him.

Which one should have been more 

Taking these drugs is against the law so if you disagree with this you have to get up off your arse and try to change it.

If they get away with it then we will have another Stathi incident and surely we don't want that.

Why can't the industry get off its ass and test ALL licenced personal Before the start of their duties.

The stewards should be the first to want this as it can save some of their work load. Personally I think they do sweet F A as it is.

Why should a trainer/ strapper be able to get pissed before they leg a hoop up in the last, they are leading around someones valuable asset.

Surely in the interests of safety the Jockeys association would/ should support this. Ah thats right the Breeders run racing or is it Blob.