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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-AU link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><h1>Disqualified horse trainer Ben Currie arrested in Toowoomba as part of racing industry probe<o:p></o:p></h1><p>Disgraced horse trainer Ben Currie has been charged with aggravated fraud amid allegations he sourced performance enhancing substances for his horses and dishonestly claimed the winnings.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Kate Kyriacou, Thomas Chamberlin, Nathan Exelby</b>, The Courier-Mail<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Subscriber only<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>| <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>an hour ago<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p>UPDATE: Disgraced horse trainer <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/superracing/trainer-ben-currie-handed-another-ban-over-raceday-treatment/news-story/df982c80c34ec59d5233163261476a2d" title=www.couriermail.com.au>Ben Currie</a> has been charged with aggravated fraud amid allegations he sourced performance enhancing substances for his horses and dishonestly claimed the winnings.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Police arrested and charged 28-year-old Currie today following a 14-month-long investigation by the Queensland Racing Crime Squad.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Police will allege he “engaged in systematic fraudulent behaviour” between November, 2016 and March 2019.<o:p></o:p></p><p>It is alleged Currie got hold of unregulated horse supplements “designed to enhance race performance in a manner to circumvent current testing methodology in Queensland thoroughbred racing”.<o:p></o:p></p><p> “As a result, it is further alleged the offender has dishonestly gained a benefit through entitlement to prize money distributed by Racing Queensland for thoroughbred races in Queensland over that time,” a statement from police said.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Outside the Toowoomba police station, Currie claimed he had no idea what he was being charged with.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“I don’t even know what the charges are to be honest,” he said.<o:p></o:p></p><p>“I don’t even know what it’s about.”<o:p></o:p></p><p>Currie has been bailed to appear in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on July 15.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Police will allege Ben Currie “engaged in systematic fraudulent behaviour” between November, 2016 and March 2019. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England<o:p></o:p></p><p><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>DISQUALIFIED HORSE TRAINER ARRESTED</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>2.10pm:</span></strong> Disgraced Queensland horse trainer <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/superracing/trainer-ben-currie-handed-another-ban-over-raceday-treatment/news-story/df982c80c34ec59d5233163261476a2d">Ben Currie</a> has been arrested in a police probe bombshell for the racing industry.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Police today arrested Currie in Toowoomba.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Currie has been the leading trainer in Queensland for the last three years, with the highest amount of wins.<o:p></o:p></p><p>He has been disqualified and hasn’t trained a runner since May 2 as officials have refused his horse nominations.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Earlier this month the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission increased Currie’s disqualification period to seven and a half years when it handed down its penalty for five prohibited substance charges.<o:p></o:p></p><p>After finding Currie guilty of five swab irregularities between 2017 and 2019, which included two for cocaine, stewards disqualified Currie for three years and fined him $45,000. All five horses were disqualified from their respective races.<o:p></o:p></p><p>● Wicked Trilogy was found with meloxicam in its system on December 2, 2017, when it raced at Kilcoy;<o:p></o:p></p><p>● Shakira was found to have testosterone in excess of the accepted concentration in its system when it raced on January 28, 2018, at Toowoomba;<o:p></o:p></p><p>● Karaharaga was found to have 17-methylmorphinan-3-ol in its system when it raced on July 6, 2018, at Rockhampton;<o:p></o:p></p><p>● Dreamscope was found to have cocaine and benzolecgonine in its system when it raced at Toowoomba on September 16, 2018;<o:p></o:p></p><p>● Eight Over was found to have cocaine, methylecgonine and benzolecgonine in its system when it raced on February 2, 2019, at Toowoomba.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Currie’s father Mark is allowed train after a deal was made to quash a two-year disqualification for race-day treatments. He was given a wholly suspended 12-month suspension and $7500 fine.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>