Vet Adam Matthews says he is being used as cobalt scapegoat

A VET summoned to appear at the cobalt appeals of trainers Danny O’Brien and Mark Kavanagh has admitted to a severe gambling addiction and turning over $4m in three years.

A VETERINARY surgeon summoned to appear at the appeals of Flemington trainers Danny O’Brien and Mark Kavanagh has admitted to a severe gambling addiction and turning over $4 million in three years.

Dr Adam Matthews, who formerly worked for the Flemington Equine Clinic, has denied supplying bottles of a vitamin complex used on O’Brien and Kavanagh horses, and later found to contain cobalt.

In cross-examination from Racing Victoria’s legal counsel, Jeff Gleeson, SC, Matthews was asked whether it was a coincidence his gambling addiction had coincided with horses trained by the two Flemington trainers, and another trained by harness trainer Craig Demmler, returning positives to cobalt in 2014.

Matthews, who treated Demmler’s horses, replied: “I have had a serious gambling problem all my life.”

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, before VCAT president Justice Garde, is into its 15th day of the appeal against O’Brien’s four-year disqualification and Kavanagh’s three-year ban on cobalt charges.

In Wednesday’s often fiery hearing, Garde warned both parties about laughing and making side remarks.

Barrister Damian Sheales, for Kavanagh and O’Brien, said the questioning of Matthews looked to him as a “smash character assassination.”

He said it was a disgrace that Matthews had been pulled out of a mental institution to give evidence that he had given three times before.

Danny O’Brien and Mark Kavanagh are fighting to save their training acreers. Picture: Mike Keating

The hearing had been previously told Matthews was mentally unfit, but Garde ordered his appearance after considering a report from his treating psychiatrist on Monday,

Matthews has denied evidence previously given by a senior partner at the Flemington Equine Clinic, Dr Tom Brennan, who claims the bottles of multivitamins were supplied to him by Matthews.

Brennan had changed his previous statements to Racing Victoria about the source of the cobalt and said the bottles had been supplied to him by Matthews, who had obtained them from Canada, but assured him they did not contain cobalt.

Matthews was questioned about a flurry of phone calls and text messages, including to Brennan, Demmler, another harness trainer Joe Pace, and Mark Kavanagh’s son Sam, when Caulfield trainer Peter Moody was told that his stayer Lidari had recorded a positive to cobalt.

He said he had been used as a scapegoat by Brennan.

Matthews was found not guilty by the Racing NSW Appeal Panel of suppling cobalt in a bottle of vitamin complex Brennan sent to Sam Kavanagh in Sydney.