RV Appeals Cobalt Decision

The training careers of Danny O'Brien and Mark Kavanagh are once again hanging in the balance, with Racing Victoria appealing the decision to clear the two trainers of cobalt-related charges in March, according to Racing and Sports. The trainers' bans (four years for O'Brien and three for Kavanagh) were dismissed by the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal in March after it was deemed the cobalt was administered to five horses-four for O'Brien and one for Kavanagh-without the trainers' knowledge or suspicion by veterinarian Tom Brennan, who has been charged and banned. The justice also determined that O'Brien and Kavanagh be cleared of presenting the horses to race with cobalt overages because Racing Victoria's testing procedure was flawed.

Racing Victoria argues in the appeal that there was enough evidence to show the horses were racing with elevated cobalt levels, and asks the Court of Appeal to determine the appropriate level of responsibility of the trainer.