A racehorse trainer in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia, faced disqualification after verbally attacking a racing official during an inspection. Garry Lunn, known for training over 500 winners, including 100 at the Dubbo racecourse, was found to have made improper and insulting remarks to steward Xavier Dalton.
The incident occurred when Dalton visited Lunn’s yard for a stable audit and discovered discrepancies in the records. Upon Dalton’s return for a follow-up inspection, Lunn became aggressive and hurled derogatory comments at him. Lunn’s offensive language, including expletives like calling Dalton the “dopiest Steward,” led to a formal inquiry by RacingNSW.
During the confrontation, Lunn persistently verbally abused Dalton, even after he attempted to leave the premises. Lunn’s behavior escalated to the point where he obstructed Dalton from performing his duties and engaged in disrespectful conduct towards the steward.
Despite denying the charges, Lunn was ultimately found guilty of obstructing Dalton and behaving improperly towards him. As a result, he received a three-month disqualification for the initial offense and an additional nine months for the subsequent misconduct. The disqualification period is set to run concurrently from November 14, 2025, to August 14, 2026.