A horse racing trainer in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia, has been disqualified after verbally abusing a racing steward during an inspection at his yard. Garry Lunn, a successful trainer with over 500 wins, including more than 100 at the local Dubbo racecourse, was found to have made derogatory and offensive remarks towards the official.
The incident occurred when officials from RacingNSW conducted a stable audit inspection and discovered discrepancies in the stable return records. Subsequently, during a follow-up inspection by steward Xavier Dalton, Lunn became confrontational and hurled insults at the official, questioning his competence and using inappropriate language.
Allegations included Lunn calling the steward “the dopiest I’ve ever seen” and using profanity to express his dissatisfaction. Despite Dalton’s attempt to leave the premises, Lunn followed him to his car, where the verbal abuse continued. The inquiry report detailed Lunn obstructing Dalton from performing his duties and engaging in improper and insulting behavior.
Following a hearing, Lunn was found guilty of obstructing the steward and using aggressive language towards him. He was handed a three-month disqualification for the first offense and nine months for the second, with the suspension period running from November 14, 2025, to August 14, 2026.