3 hours ago
3
Craig Kerry
June 5, 2026 — 5:14pm
Racing NSW officials have launched an investigation into the conduct of group 1-winning trainer John O’Shea while serving a four-month disqualification.
The Randwick trainer, who has more than 30 group 1 wins, has been disqualified since March 17 after pleading guilty to three charges of improper conduct when arguing with two Racing NSW veterinarians following the scratching of Bev’s Nine behind the barriers at Rosehill on February 21.
O’Shea was originally banned for four months, then had the sanction quashed on a legal point on appeal before that panel replaced it with a two-month penalty.
Both O’Shea and Racing NSW challenged that decision at the Racing Appeals Tribunal, which found in favour of the regulator and reinstated the original four-month disqualification.
The former Godolphin trainer’s operation, which also takes in stables at Hawkesbury, has continued under O’Shea’s training partner Tom Charlton.
Under the rules of racing, disqualified people must adhere to a long list of restrictions, including associating with licensed participants without approval and participating in any way in the preparation for racing or training of any horse.
The Herald understands concerns about O’Shea’s conduct while disqualified intensified at Warwick Farm on Wednesday after the Charlton-trained Hovland won the fourth race with Tommy Berry on board.
Berry told Sky Racing in the post-race interview, when asked about his tactics on the horse, that: “I had the opinion of being a lot more positive this morning when I spoke to Tom and John, and full credit to them, they didn’t want me to be that positive”.
Racing NSW stewards then spoke to Berry and examined his phone. As part of the investigation, stewards also spoke to Charlton and stable apprentice jockey Anna Roper at the meeting.
The investigation is ongoing. If O’Shea is charged and found guilty of breaching conditions of his disqualification, he could have his ban extended.
Under rule AR 263(4), stewards have the power to restart the original period of disqualification from the most recent date of any breach.
Former Scone trainer Stephen Jones had his disqualification of three and a half years for raceday treatments restarted last year after he was found guilty of attending the Magic Millions sales on the Gold Coast without approval.
O’Shea was a vocal opponent of the bid to sell the Australian Turf Club-owned Rosehill Gardens racecourse site to the NSW government for $5 billion, a move supporters said would future-proof NSW thoroughbred racing. ATC members voted against the sale in May last year.
O’Shea was contacted for comment.
