The Australian racing community is mourning the death of trainer Ben Smith, who was just 42.
It comes as Smith’s 13-month ban from the sport – after he and one of his horses tested positive to a banned drug – was drawing to a close.
Daily Mail Australia understands there are no suspicious circumstances behind Smith’s death.
Based in Newcastle, Smith was highly regarded among fellow NSW trainers – and a very popular figure in the Hunter region.
His greatest achievements were winning Group 1 races in 2018, with In Her Time taking out The Galaxy, and El Dorado Dreaming winning the ATC Sires Produce Stakes.
Smith’s training career was sensationally put on hold in 2019 after he was issued with a three year, nine-month ban after being found guilty of cobalt and misconduct charges by Racing NSW stewards.
The Australian racing community is mourning the death of trainer Ben Smith, who was just 42
It comes as Smith’s 13-month ban from the sport – after he and one of his horses tested positive to a banned drug – was drawing to a close
‘You reflect on it and you realise where you went wrong and how you went wrong,’ Smith said ahead of his first return to racing.
‘The stable expanded and boomed and you get tempted by the devil, and I did the wrong thing.’
Smith resumed training in late 2022 – but it didn’t take long to again be in strife with stewards, hit with a 13-month ban in May last year.
Smith received a nine-month ban when his personal urine sample revealed the presence of ‘a number of banned substances’ according to Racing NSW stewards.
He received four months on top of that because one of his horses – Arale – was found to have a banned anti-inflammatory drug in its system.
Smith pleaded guilty to both charges, and would have been eligible to resume training next month.
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