Cody Cole refuses drug test...DQ inevitable

[Thomass]

Strange one this...being an exemplary license holder in the past it's hard to believe he would risk a DQ from a refusal...

...and shirley he'd know this...right?  It's EXACTLY  the same penalty as providing a + test

"Cody William Cole holds a Class A Trainers Licence, issued by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTA).

Mr Cole is facing one charge pursuant to Rule 801(1)(k) of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Rules that on Thursday the 24th July 2025, at the Matamata Racecourse, Licenced Class A Trainer Cody Cole wilfully failed to perform an act ordered by an Investigator to be performed by him in that he failed to provide for a drug test and is thereby liable to the penalty imposed pursuant to Rule 801(2) of the said rules."

[Stagman]

Yes, let's wait and see if he's one of the protected species.

Young trainer showing a lot of ability in the training ranks- however the rules are for everybody.

No doubt in his submissions on penalty there will more than likely be a few letters of support from the elite owners in the industry that he trains for.

What would a DQ look like for him- well probably only stop him going to the tracks races an trials- just stay on the farm and train from there.

There's bound to be someone waiting in the wings with a Trainers license application ready in case the worst happens and Mr Cole has a holiday over Autumn/ Winter until the end of the season.

[curious]

14 minutes ago, Stagman said:

Yes, let's wait and see if he's one of the protected species.

Young trainer showing a lot of ability in the training ranks- however the rules are for everybody.

No doubt in his submissions on penalty there will more than likely be a few letters of support from the elite owners in the industry that he trains for.

What would a DQ look like for him- well probably only stop him going to the tracks races an trials- just stay on the farm and train from there.

There's bound to be someone waiting in the wings with a Trainers license application ready in case the worst happens and Mr Cole has a holiday over Autumn/ Winter until the end of the season.

There's a difference between a DQ which is possible, and a suspension which is likely. He seems to have worsened the penalty by pleading not guilty and only providing frivolous and largely unbelievable evidence to support his defence.

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Stagman said:

There's bound to be someone waiting in the wings with a Trainers license application ready in case the worst happens and Mr Cole has a holiday over Autumn/ Winter until the end of the season.

What's wrong with that?  

[Huey]

Should have been suspended months ago, this has been common knowledge for sometime.

Be pretty pissed if running 2nd to this guy whilst he is accumulating wins on premiership. 

Come in @Chief Stipe with some obscure excuse for him.

[Chief Stipe]

28 minutes ago, Huey said:

Be pretty pissed if running 2nd to this guy whilst he is accumulating wins on premiership. 

I don't see the connection are you saying that without Cole his horses would run second?

[Huey]

6 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

I don't see the connection are you saying that without Cole his horses would run second?

They would not be there in his name would they. 

[Chief Stipe]

4 minutes ago, Huey said:

They would not be there in his name would they. 

Still don't get your point.  It's not as if you get any reward for being 9th on the Trainers Premiership.

Delaying litigation is a common legal tactic and I see no problem with that either.

[Murray Fish]

perhaps more important that this person got caught???

 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360933499/italian-biathlete-rebecca-passler-suspended-ahead-winter-olympics-positive-doping-test

[Huey]

26 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Still don't get your point.  It's not as if you get any reward for being 9th on the Trainers Premiership.

Delaying litigation is a common legal tactic and I see no problem with that either.

Do those horses still win without him?

[hesi]

Is he still allowed to train while there are proceedings against him

[Chief Stipe]

4 minutes ago, hesi said:

Is he still allowed to train while there are proceedings against him

Correct.  But the Industry holier than thou types like nothing better than a witch hunt and lynching.

[The Centaur]

Chief,

The headline of this thread risks litigation. I don't see any evidence of refusing a sample. Delay is not refusal.

[Chief Stipe]

6 minutes ago, The Centaur said:

Chief,

The headline of this thread risks litigation. I don't see any evidence of refusing a sample. Delay is not refusal.

True from a legal perspective he just didn't turn up to be tested.  Which is different to refusing.  

[Thomass]

22 minutes ago, The Centaur said:

Chief,

The headline of this thread risks litigation. I don't see any evidence of refusing a sample. Delay is not refusal.

Ok... charged with "wilfully fails to perform an act as ordered by a steward"

GUILTY

Oxford languages synonyms

"WILFUL

deliberate, intentional, intended, done on purpose, premeditated, planned

aka REFUSED 

[Chief Stipe]

1 minute ago, Thomass said:

Ok... charged with "wilfully fails to perform an act as ordered by a steward"

GUILTY

Oxford languages synonyms

"WILFUL

deliberate, intentional, intended, done on purpose, premeditated, planned

aka REFUSED 

You are not really a bundle of fun are you @Thomass ?

[Thomass]

1 minute ago, Chief Stipe said:

You are not really a bundle of fun are you @Thomass ?

Moi knows it's fun dealing with FACTS

The only good thing to arise from this very unfortunate case is that it'll leave an undeniable impression on other stakeholders just how serious avoiding drug testing is

Also good on the RIB for adopting the same test  vehicle drivers are subject to

A simple spit test that Cody said he wasn't aware of...even though he was told

oh how easy to do a quick lick then off to do other horsey stuff

[hesi]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

Correct.  But the Industry holier than thou types like nothing better than a witch hunt and lynching.

I thought they changed the Rules of Racing that meant that a trainer could not train, a jockey could not ride etc etc while they had proceedings against them

I could be wrong, but this happened when Lisa Cropp, back in 2007, kept on appealing the charges against her, such that she ended up riding and winning another premiership or 2 because under the Rules of Racing, she could not be stopped.

It made a mockery of racing, in the end she took it all the way through to the Court of Appeal before she was finally put out.  Some of the detail may be a bit sketchy, Curious will know more