Kavanagh, O’Brien cobalt appeal begins

Victorian trainers Danny O’Brien and Mark Kavanagh will try to overturn their cobalt disqualifications by arguing the laboratories that did the testing were not properly accredited at the time.

The trainers’ legal counsel will argue Perth-based ChemCentre and Hong Kong Jockey Club laboratories were not accredited to test for cobalt when the samples were analysed.

O’Brien was in January disqualified for four years and Kavanagh for three years, while vet Tom Brennan received a five-year ban.

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The trainers and Brennan were found guilty in December of administering cobalt for the purpose of affecting the performance of a horse in a race.

Four O’Brien-trained horses and the Kavanagh-trained Magicool returned levels of cobalt above the 200 micrograms per litre of urine threshold in 2014.

The appeal by O’Brien and Kavanagh begins on Monday and has been set down for nine days before Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal president Justice Greg Garde.

Brennan, who has also been outed by Racing NSW stewards, has withdrawn his appeal.

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