Bathurst harness racing trainer Nathan Turnbull was won the right to continue to train despite a first sample taken from Destiny Warrior showing a irregularity to cocaine after he won at Dubbo in February.
Turnbull told Fairfax Media that Destiny Warrior had returned a swab positive to cocaine in his first sample from his win on February 22, but said if the second sample confirmed the result, he would be defending the charge.
"I can't make any comment about it at the moment," he said.
Harness Racing NSW stewards had stood down Turnbull under rule 183 last week, but he appealed the ruling on Monday and the NSW Racing Tribunal overturned the decision after an admission by a third party who admitted using the drug on the way to the races.
At Turnbull's appeal against the standing down, the third party – know as the user – "made full and frank admissions" to stewards that he had handled Destiny Warrior and its gear before the race after using cocaine.
