Cobalt cases mount in Queensland as Racing Australia weighs up ATA’s request for a review
As the debate around how cobalt should be regulated reaches Australian racing’s peak industry body, a total of 28 cases relating to breaches of the cobalt threshold are waiting to be heard in Queensland.
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As the debate around cobalt and how it should be regulated reaches Australian racing’s peak industry body, a total of 28 cases relating to breaches of the cobalt threshold are waiting to be heard in Queensland.
The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission has revealed there are 15 cases, including one greyhound, waiting determination at the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, while another 13, all thoroughbred cases, are still to be heard by stewards.
The cases before QCAT include that of prominent Gold Coast trainer Kelly Doughty, who is fighting a 12-month disqualification for an elevated cobalt reading in her horse Blue Book from November 2017.
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Doughty has told AAP she expects her appeal at QCAT to be heard next month.
Her hearing comes at a time the Australian Trainers Association and a number of prominent vets and scientists are calling for an overhaul in the way Racing Australia deals with cobalt, in particular the severity of penalties to those found guilty of presentation and or administration.
Racing Australia chairman Greg Nichols has confirmed his board will discuss the matter next week, after receiving a request to review the situation by ATA chief executive Andrew Nicholl.
The RA chairman told Melbourne’s RSN on Wednesday he doesn’t believe officials have got the cobalt situation wrong, but he has “an open mind” on the matter.
“Andrew’s letter was full of verbose and flourish,” he said. “He makes some claims that haven’t been validated in my mind and the directors of RA at this point in time.”
The ATA letter asserted there was increasing doubts on the performance-enhancing capabilities of cobalt and that Australian penalties are far more severe than in other parts of the world.
Indeed, the Racing Appeals Tribunal NSW ruled in Hughes vs Harness Racing NSW in August last year that “it is an agreed fact that cobalt does not positively affect performance in a racing horse”.
But Nichols said a veterinary advisory committee, a subcommittee of Racing Australia, was scheduled to discuss the matter this week and their input will be given “due consideration” when the RA board meets.
He said that committee had to this point not signified there’s any need to reappraise the position on cobalt.
“You make judgments on the information put in front of you at the time and I’m yet to be convinced that evidence (which was initially used in the formation of the cobalt rules) is totally extinguished,” he said.
Nichols noted equine welfare and integrity are the “fundamentals of our sport” and warned of any changes that gives perception to a slackening of the rules.
“Society is moving to a drug-free regime. The tolerance of applying therapeutics to enhance performance are diminishing day by day,” he said.
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