Disqualified trainers Mark Kavanagh and Danny O’Brien will be back at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Thursday to seek a full stay of their cobalt-related bans.
Kavanagh and O’Brien received three and four-year disqualifications respectively after the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board found them guilty of administering a drip containing high levels of cobalt to five horses with the intention to affect their performance.
The drips caused the five horses to produce cobalt readings higher than the allowed 200 micrograms per litre of urine when they raced in the spring of 2014.
The pair’s barrister Damian Sheales sought and was granted an interim stay of the penalties, which will lapse at 5:30pm on Thursday but VCAT will conduct a directions hearing on Thursday afternoon.
Vet Dr Tom Brennan, who received a five-year ban, supplied the trainers bottles labelled ‘Vitamin Complex’ that was later found to contain high levels of cobalt.
All three men deny knowing cobalt was a key ingredient of the vitamin complex.
O’Brien made a statement on Wednesday declaring he and Kavanagh were confident they would be cleared by a “real, adult court”.
racenet