![Grant and Alana Williams have been disqualified for 12 months following the Racing WA inquiry into Starry Heights. [Bradley Photos]](https://betsy.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/western-empire-grant-williams-alana-williams_14-12-2024_win_ascot_8__26_1000x667px.webp)
Premier Western Australian trainers Grant and Alana Williams have scored a key legal win in their bid to return to racing.
The duo were stunned when they were disqualified for 12 months after one of their runners, Starry Heights, tested positive for the prohibited substance ritalinic acid, a metabolite of Ritalin, following a race in 2025. Tragically, the gelding died following the race.
The Williams have strongly denied any knowledge of how the banned substance came into their horse’s system. However, they pleaded guilty to a charge under AR 240(2) in that they “as co-licensed trainers, brought and presented Starry Heights for the purposes of participating in Race 8 at Kalgoorlie on 4 October 2025 where the Prohibited List A substance ritalinic acid was detected”.
Stewards later disqualified the pair for 12 months but racing’s leading barrister, Damien Sheales, immediately appealed.
On Friday, the Racing Penalties Appeal Tribunal granted a stay of the disqualifications, allowing the pair to resume training while their appeal proceeds.
While written reasons have not yet been published, the tribunal’s chairperson found there was a “risk” that the Williams would suffer “irreparable damage” if their disqualifications continued and their appeal was ultimately successful.
“There are some arguable appeal points contained in the sixteen Amended Grounds of Appeal albeit I express no view as to their merit beyond that,” the tribunal’s chairperson said on Friday.
“There is a ‘risk’ that the Appellants will suffer irreparable damage by the continuation of the disqualification if the appeal should prove to be ultimately successful; and
“Although acutely mindful of the need to maintain public confidence in Racing, I consider the balance of convenience favours the grant of a stay until the conclusion of the hearing of the appeal on 23 November 2026.”
The chairperson directed that the RWWA stewards suspend the operation of their September 28 disqualification order until the conclusion of the appeal hearing on November 23.
The Williams will also have the opportunity to apply for an extension of the stay at the conclusion of that hearing.
