ATA bemoans cobalt status quo

[Chief Stipe]

The Australian Trainers' Association has vowed to continue the fight to change the cobalt laws despite Racing Australia this week confirming the status quo around the controversial substance.

The ATA had urged RA by letter in August to review the laws and penalties around cobalt on the back of more than 300 positive cases across all codes in the past few seasons, and although the response was not what it had hoped for, trainers remain adamant the regulations must change according to ATA chief executive Andrew Nicholl.

Nicholl said the ATA is of the belief that many of the cobalt positives occurring across the country are due to vitamins rather than any potential corrupt use.

"Cobalt arose a few years ago out of the belief that people were doping with it, but it is increasingly apparent that a lot of these positives are due to (vitamin) B-12 injections," Nicholl said.

The ATA was notified by letter from RA earlier this week that there would be no change to how cobalt is viewed or to the steep penalties around its use.

Nicholl said his association was disappointed, but not deterred.

"We are not going to give up," he said. "We are going to review all our options."

A number of Australia's more prominent trainers have suffered cobalt bans - including Peter Moody and Melbourne Cup winner Danny O'Brien, who was eventually cleared of intentional administration of the substance along with fellow trainer Mark Kavanagh after a long fight through the courts.

A conviction for intentionally administering cobalt carries a minimum three-year disqualification.

There are currently several cobalt cases on the back burner in Victoria including trainer/rider Steven Patemen, who is due to front the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board next month.