Veteran trainer David Tootell has been fined for verbally abusing and attempting to punch a trackwork rider.
Daniel Mortimer was on the receiving end of the attack that occured on March 8 at South Australia’s Morphettville racecourse.
Tootell, 60, was found to have initiated the incident with Racing SA stewards saying that Tootell Snr “engaged in misconduct by verbally abusing Daniel Mortimer and attempting to punch him whilst mounted on a horse.”
Stewards also fined Mortimer after it was revealed that “he engaged in misconduct by verbally abusing David Tootell and punching him in the vicinity of the head whilst he was mounted on a horse.”
Tootell was fined $500 for his involvement in the matter given he was the instigator.
Whilst Mortimer was also fined $500 of which $250 was suspended for two years under AR283(5), on the basis that he does not breach a conduct related rule in this period given he retaliated to the advance made by Tootell.
Both Tootell and Mortimer pleaded guilty to their respective charges.
