John Leek Jnr’s property future in doubt after hefty three-year ban

Victorian trainer John Leek Jnr has been given a three-year ban and also faces uncertainty over whether he can continue to live at his property after he was punished on Monday for being caught trying to stomach-tube a horse on raceday.

Leek Jnr was punished by the Victorian Racing Tribunal on Monday after he was found guilty of attempting to treat his horse, The Storyteller at a roadside stop in 2025, ahead of the horse’s scheduled start at Warrnambool later that day.

Leek was caught by Stewards, with body-worn camera footage played during the VRT hearing showing Leek Jnr had placed a twitch on The Storyteller’s nose.

It was also alleged that the tubing equipment was within reach when caught by Stewards.

Investigators told the VRT they had been following him.

Leek Jnr reportedly told stewards a bottle of liquid in the float was “to tube the horse” that contained “vitamins and salts”.

According to the tribunal, in finding Leek Jnr guilty, they said they partly based that on ‘’the matter of most significance is what we take to be clear admission by Mr Leek at the time, shortly after the offending took place’’.

Leek Jnr had pleaded not guilty, but the VRT found the veteran guilty.

On Monday, Racing Victoria stewards, represented by barrister Amara Hughes, asked for a four-year ban.

Hughes argued that given Leek Jnr’s poor record, a lengthier ban than the mandatory 12 months, was warranted.

Hughes also argued that Leek Jnr should not be allowed to reside at his current country Victorian property given there are registered stables there, also used by his wife Andrea.

This was strongly opposed by Leek Jnr’s lawyer, Matthew Stirling, who said it would punish his wife if Leek Jnr was forced to leave their Nar Nar Goon North property, or the alternative, if the property could no longer house registered horses.

Stirling provided submissions from Andrea that she would not take advice or instructions from Leek Jnr in a bid to allow him to remain at their property and her business to continue to operate.

Andrea recently won the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes with Cosmic Crusader.

Stirling also argued the tubing of horses was a safe measure, regularly carried out across the industry.

In handing down the punishment, VRT chair Marilyn Harbison said any decision on how Leek Jnr’s property is managed during his ban, and its subsequent use for training, should be decided by the Racing Victoria board.

”The decision of this tribunal in relation to the charge of attempting to stomach tube the horse is a period of disqualification for a period of three years,’’ she said on Monday.

”The tribunal has considered whether to exercise its power to grant an exemption in relation to that period of disqualification, as has been outlined.

”In the submissions, the tribunal has decided that it is not appropriate for the tribunal to exercise its power in this case, and that it would be more appropriate for any applications for matters as set out in the submissions to be directed to the Board of Racing Victoria.”

The Storyteller was later cleared to race in 2025, later winning the prestigious Galleywood Hurdle at Warnambool this year.

Leek Jnr’s ban will begin in seven days time.