Auckram Fumes Over Cup Scratching

Last Thursday morning a team from the Qld Racing Integrity Commission arrived at his home on the morning of the Group 1 Albion Park Gold Cup.
Terry's dog Shoes To Fill was engaged that night to run in the rich final. Terry gave him some hope of at least running a place.
For the past 20 years, whenever Terry Auckram has taken his dogs for a walk in the mornings during colder weather, he gives them half a ml of glycerine put down their throat as a soother.
Glycerine is regularly used by trainers to sooth a greyhound's throat during a bout of kennel cough.
Terry does this as a matter of course. He administers the half ml dose via a syringe. It's the easiest way to do it.
When QRIC's stewards turned up at Auckram's home in the early hours of last Thursday, the syringe with the glycerine was sitting on the kitchen bench.
Terry admits he had administered the glycerine dose to Shoes To Fill at 5am on the Thursday morning prior to his routine walk, then fed the dog his breakfast.
“Glycerine is made up of animal fats and vegetable oil,” said Terry.
When QRIC stewards asked Auckram what it was, he immediately told them.
“It was the glycerine,” he said. “They immediately confiscated the syringe and took it off to be tested.”
Later that day Auckram was summoned to an inquiry where his dog was scratched from the Gold Cup and he was fined $1000 under Rule 83a (1), $500 of which was suspended for 12 months.
Auckram is livid.
The results of the testing of the contents of the syringe are not expected back for two weeks.
“Yes, I am aware we as trainers are not to administer anything on race days, but this is glycerine which does nothing more than sooth the dog's throat,” he said.
“My only intention was to be aware of the welfare of my dog. Glycerine is not a banned substance.
“I've been training for 20 years and never once had a positive swab. No, I'm not looking for sympathy. But where does all this end. Will we soon be told we cannot offer meat and kibble, water, milk, honey on race days.
“I found it amazing that the stewards took the syringe with the glycerine away, but never bothered to swab my dog.
“And, when I was initially asked about the syringe of glycerine I complied with my integrity rules by explaining just what it was and what it was to be used for.”
Auckram is anxiously awaiting the results of the swab on the syringe.
“In the meantime, I have had my dignity stripped from me,” he said. “Obviously my case shows there is a black area in the rule. For the sake of other trainers, the stewards, and the rules, surely this should be clarified.
“Glycerine is not a banned substance. Yes, how I administer it is.”