Clayton Douglas will oversee the training of horses from the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable while the father-son training team serves a 28-day disqualification imposed by the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT) for race-day treatment violations. The ban, which begins on Thursday, stems from an incident at their Cranbourne stable in August last year when two horses—Kira and Moonhaven—received treatment with a nebuliser on a day they were scheduled to race. Both horses were subsequently scratched by order of stewards.
Penalties and Fines
In addition to the disqualification, the Freedmans were fined $1500 for failing to keep adequate treatment records. Racing Victoria had sought a three-month disqualification, but the VRT reduced it to 28 days, citing the Freedmans' guilty plea and cooperation during the investigation. The ban means the Freedmans will be free to return before the start of the new racing season on August 1.
“Although the team are understandably disappointed by the penalties imposed, we have both accepted the outcome and have confidence in the respected and competent team who will manage the operation during the interim period,” the Freedmans said in a statement. “Importantly, the stables will continue to operate throughout the provisional period under the management of licensed trainer Clayton Douglas. The care, training and welfare of the horses will remain unchanged, and owners can be assured that, under Clayton’s leadership, their horses will continue to receive the same level of attention and professionalism they have come to expect from our team.”
Transition and Upcoming Races
Horses have already been transferred into Douglas’s name, and the Mornington horseman will saddle Al Duca in the Winter Championship Final and Vestas in the Santa Ana Lane Sprint Final at Flemington this Saturday. The Freedmans, winners of the 2023 Melbourne Cup via Without A Fight, accepted the penalties and vowed to do what they could to be back for the 2026-27 racing season.
“We would like to publicly state that we stand by our stable staff. They work long hours, take pride in their work and are fully committed to the care and wellbeing of our bloodstock,” the statement read. “Our priority is ensuring the team continues to cooperate with Racing Victoria to meet its requirements throughout the interim period, while managing a seamless transition for bloodstock, staff and owners. We are both looking forward to the opportunity to be relicensed and getting back to work.”
