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News:

There were many times during the past year when Con Karakatsanis wanted to walk away from the racing industry.

Only the support of his closest family and friends convinced him otherwise.

The horse trainer and his father Tony, who had been working for the stable, were banned for nine and 24 months respectively over the attempted stomach tubing of Howmuchdoyouloveme on Victoria Derby day in 2012.

Having served his time, Con Karakatsanis is back training and on Saturday he will saddle up his first metropolitan runner since his return when Adaboy Ross contests the Instagram@ATC_Races Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill.

Karakatsanis has always maintained his innocence over the Howmuchdoyouloveme drama.

He still does.

But he says it is time to look forward, not back.

“I still claim my innocence. I didn’t do anything wrong,” Karakatsanis said.

“But that’s the past, we haven’t been able to change that, so the only way is to look to the future and move forward.

“I’ve got to rebuild again.

“The only way to earn respect is to work really hard and get results for my owners.”

Karakatsanis wasn’t always focused on returning to training.

The comments on social and mainstream media hurt and he applied for several jobs outside the industry but there were few opportunities for somebody who had spent their life around horses.

On the flip side was the support and loyalty of family, friends and owners.

“That was one of the main reasons why I wanted to get back. My family, my partner, my owners and my friends really stuck by me,” he said.

“I wouldn’t be here without them.”

Six months ago Karakatsanis bought rundown stables at Warwick Farm, bulldozed them and spent the ensuing months labouring for his builder as he constructed new ones.

At the same time, he began to rebuild the rest of his life.

There are still finishing touches to be completed but Karakatsanis now has 16 boxes and a few old faces to fill them, including Howmuchdoyouloveme and Adaboy Ross.

Adaboy Ross returned with a midfield performance during the Scone carnival when he got back on a day when it was difficult to make ground.

While Karakatsanis expects him to improve on whatever he does at Rosehill, he says the horse has the class to feature.

“He is probably looking for 1400 metres to a mile this preparation but don’t get me wrong, he is good enough to run a race,” he said.

Howmuchdoyouloveme will head to Brisbane for the Lightning Stakes on Stradbroke Handicap day.

It is small steps as Karakatsanis re-acquaints himself with his horses, and they with him.

But the rebuilding has begun.