Moody walks away from racehorse training
High-profile racehorse trainer Peter Moody is walking away from the sport.
Moody’s six-month suspension for a cobalt offence begins at midnight on Thursday and he has decided not to return to training after the ban ends.
“I have indicated to my clients that I can’t see myself training again in the foreseeable future,” he told reporters at his Caulfield stable on Tuesday.
“I’m never one to say never, but I stand strongly that certainly I won’t be returning to the training ranks in six months’ time.
“Whether I do revisit it with my family and staff at some point down the track, I’m not 100 per cent sure.”
Moody said the 18-month cobalt saga had taken its toll and he could not go through an appeal.
“I’m over it,” he said.
“This has been basically an 18-month saga. Financially it’s very draining and I’d be lying to you if I suggested it wasn’t mentally very draining.”
The Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board outed Moody for 12 months on Thursday, but suspended half of his penalty.
Moody’s galloper Lidari returned a higher than allowed level of cobalt after running second in the 2014 Turnbull Stakes.
He was found not guilty of administering cobalt for the purpose of affecting performance, but guilty to two lesser charges.
Moody said he was pleased he had been judged not to be a cheat.
Moody gained international acclaim as the trainer of unbeaten champion sprinter Black Caviar, which he said was the highlight of his career.
“It’s hard to go past Black Caviar. That’s the thing dreams are made of.”
Moody said he hoped he would continue to have some involvement in the racing industry in the future, although the trainer and his wife will also put the horses they own up for sale.
Moody said employing a stand-in trainer during his suspension was not a workable proposition.
Three hundred horses are being moved to other trainers.