Racing Victoria stewards have laid the first charges arising from a long-running investigation surrounding the use of cobalt in four Victorian stables.
The Peter Moody, Mark Kavanagh, Danny O’Brien and Lee and Shannon Hope stables all became the subject of investigations arising from elevated levels of cobalt returned by some of their runners in 2014.
Racing Victoria introduced an allowable threshold of 200 micrograms per litre of urine in April last year. Some of the readings recorded were more than double the allowed cobalt limit.
The table below indicates the trainer, horse and the cobalt readings they returned.
|
Trainer |
Horse |
Race – Track |
Date – Placing |
Chem Centre reading |
HKJC reading |
|
Danny O’Brien |
Caravan Rolls On |
Lexus Stakes – Flemington |
1/1/14 – 8th |
350 micrograms per litre (ug/L) |
380 micrograms per litre (ug/L) |
|
Danny O’Brien |
Bondeiger |
Victoria Derby – Flemington |
1/1/14 – 2nd |
330ug/L |
370ug/L |
|
Danny O’Brien |
De Little Engine |
People@Work Handicap – Ballarat |
22/11/14 – 1st |
550ug/L |
580ug/L |
|
Danny O’Brien |
Bullpit |
Jeep 55sec Challenge – Moonee Valley |
19/12/14 – 1st |
300ug/L |
320ug/L |
|
Mark Kavanagh |
Magicool |
UCI Stakes – Flemington |
4/10/14 – 1st |
640ug/L |
670ug/L |
|
Lee and Shannon Hope |
Windy Citi Bear |
3YO BM78 Handicap – Geelong |
25/6/14 – 5th |
290ug/L |
300ug/L |
|
Lee and Shannon Hope |
Best Suggestion |
Sportingbet Handicap – Caulfield |
5/7/14 – 8th |
510ug/L |
550ug/L |
|
Lee and Shannon Hope |
Choose |
Citiopera Handicap – Caulfield |
28/9/14 – 5th |
450ug/L |
440ug/L |
Stewards laid 29 charges, of which 21 are alternative charges, against Hope Racing, Kavanagh and O’Brien as well as another 20 (15 alternative) against vet Dr Tom Brennan, who featured in a volatile Racing NSW inquiry into positive swabs from the Sam Kavanagh-trained Midsummer Sun earlier this week.
The charges against Hope Racing, Kavanagh and O’Brien are as follows:
“1. Australian Rule of Racing (AR) 175(h)(i) – that they administered, or caused to be administered, the prohibited substance cobalt for the purpose of affecting the performance of the horse in a race;
2. AR 175(h)(ii) – that they administered, or caused to be administered, the prohibited substance cobalt which was detected in a sample taken from the horse prior to or following its race;
3. AR 178 – that they brought the horse to race with the prohibited substance cobalt in its system.”
O’Brien and Kavanagh were also charged with a fourth alternative count in respect of each of the horses’ samples:
4. AR 175(k) – that their conduct or negligence led to, or could have led to, a breach of the Rules by Dr Brennan himself administering or causing to be administered a prohibited substance to the horse.
Brennan, a partner in the Flemington Equine Clinic that was engaged by Kavanagh and O’Brien, will face the following charges.
“1. AR 175(h)(i) – that he administered, or caused to be administered, the prohibited substance cobalt for the purpose of affecting the performance of the horse in a race;
2. AR 175(h)(ii) – that he administered, or caused to be administered, the prohibited substance cobalt which was detected in a sample taken from the horse;
3. AR 175(k) – that Dr Brennan’s conduct led, or could have led, to a breach of the prohibited substance Rules in that he supplied or caused to be supplied to Mr O’Brien/Mr Kavanagh a substance containing a high level of cobalt for the purpose of administration to horses trained by Mr O’Brien/Mr Kavanagh;
4. AR 175(l) – that Dr Brennan connived at, or was a party to, Mr O’Brien/Mr Kavanagh committing a breach of the prohibited substance Rules in that he supplied or caused to be supplied to Mr O’Brien/Mr Kavanagh a substance containing a high level of cobalt for the purpose of administration to horses trained by Mr O’Brien/Mr Kavanagh.”
All charged parties will appear before the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on a date to be fixed.
RV’s Executive General Manager – Integrity Services Dayle Brown said the investigations have been of an “exhaustive and complex” nature.
“During the course of the investigations we have collected a considerable amount of evidence and have undertaken extensive forensic analysis and testing,” Brown said.
“Each of the five people charged will have the opportunity to defend these charges before the independent RAD Board and we hope that this can occur at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Click here to get an update on the status of the Peter Moody investigation.
www.racenet.com.au
Brad Waters