Queensland trainer Lindsay Hatch fights for career in cobalt ban appeal

Queensland trainer Lindsay Hatch appears at the Queensland Racing Appeals Panel on Friday to appeal his 12-month suspension over a cobalt charge.

Lindsay Hatch. Picture: Kevin Farmer

A Queensland trainer renowned as a guru for developing apprentice jockeys was fighting for his career on Friday as he appealed a 12-month racing suspension for a cobalt offence.

Darling Downs trainer Lindsay Hatch is the man who has been a key to developing many future star Queensland jockeys over the years, including the likes of Group 1 winner Kyle Wilson-Taylor and his partner Angela Jones in recent years.

But Hatch’s world was turned upside down when he was suspended for 12 months by stewards, in relation to racehorse Dream Lantern returning a post-race urine sample containing cobalt above the permitted threshold after winning at Ipswich in August last year.

Hatch has been training on a stay of proceedings and appeared at the Queensland Racing Appeals Panel in Brisbane on Friday.

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Barrister Jim Murdoch KC, representing Hatch, told the panel the consequences of a 12-month suspension would be “extremely severe” for Hatch, as it would put him out of business and into “considerable financial hardship.”

Murdoch submitted that in the days before and after Dream Lantern raced in August last year, Hatch had not been at his Toowoomba stables and had instead been at his satellite stable in Townsville.

Hatch gave evidence there were no cobalt salts in his stable.

Murdoch submitted there was a possibility Dream Lantern had been inadvertently treated on consecutive days with multiple substances containing vitamin B12, raising the possibility of an elevated cobalt reading.

“No blame can be attributed to Mr Hatch,” Murdoch said.

“He couldn’t explain the elevated (cobalt) levels and significant racing participants have provided character references that he is a person of honesty and integrity.

“Mr Hatch was away in Townsville and the best (explanation) he can come up with is there must have been some mistake to the wrong horse being treated (with vitamin supplements).”

Trainer Lindsay Hatch.

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While Murdoch told the RAP the cobalt penalty should be reduced to a fine, lawyers for the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission insisted the 12-month suspension was appropriate as it was a “serious charge which needed a deterrent” and Hatch had previously breached cobalt rules.

Hatch was initially suspended for nine months for the cobalt matter under a charge laid under Australian Rules of Racing AR 240(2).

However the stewards’ report noted a previous penalty “was also enlivened as this further breach had occurred within the operative period of that deferred penalty”.

It resulted in a total cumulative penalty of a 12 month suspension of Hatch’s licence.

After hearing submissions for three hours on Friday, the Queensland Racing Appeals Panel reserved its decision until a future date.

The stay order was continued until a decision is announced.

Originally published as Queensland trainer Lindsay Hatch fights for career in cobalt ban appeal