Trainer Luke Williams has been fined by Racing Victoria after suggesting his horse had a disability.
Williams made the comments in a pre-race interview on racing.com on February 20 before his 3-year-old gelding, Paglode, raced at Terang in a $32,000 Maiden.
Williams was talking to racing.com about the chances of his second start runner who was $101 in the market.
‘’Every time he steps out, he improves,’’ Williams said of Paglode.
‘’Look, I am pretty sure the horse has Down Syndrome, like he’s just, he’s a different cat.’’
Racing Victoria Stewards reported on Sunday that they had interviewed Willams following his comments.
Stewards fined him $750.
‘’Licensed trainer Luke Williams pleaded guilty under the provisions of AR228(a) in that whilst participating in an interview on Racing.com at the Terang race meeting on 20 February 2026, that he did make comments that were deemed inappropriate and prejudicial to the image of racing,’’ the Stewards’ report said.
‘’Luke Williams was fined $750. In considering penalty, Stewards took into account his guilty plea, record and remorse shown.’’
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In January, Racing Victoria Stewards also fined a Queensland trainer over comments made from a social media account after he was forced to scratch his horse at Caulfield on Saturday because of traffic.
The fine followed comments made to their stable’s X account, the post said:
“Lady Of Five is fine guys. We allowed 2 hours for a 50 minute trip to Caulfield and some retard crashed on the highway and stuffed everything. She will have a jump out Tuesday at Pakenham and race next weekend at Caulfield in the 1000m group 3 Chairman’s”.
Will Hubert is set to appeal after he was fined $2000 by stewards for breaching racing rule AR228a – ‘conduct prejudicial to the image, interests, or integrity of racing’.
