Option for Moody to appeal cobalt finding
Peter Moody has been offered the chance to appeal his cobalt suspension by Racing Victoria.
Moody, who shut down his training business in March after being suspended for six months by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board, has been offered the chance to appeal despite having already served more than three months of his sentence.
The former champion trainer was originally allowed 28 days to appeal after he was sentenced in March.
Moody was given a 12-month ban with six month deferred, on a presentation charge after Lidari returned a high cobalt level after his second in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington in October 2014.
Trainers Danny O’Brien, Mark Kavanagh and father and son training team of Lee and Shannon Hope have cobalt appeals set to be heard by the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal commencing next month.
The legal team representing O’Brien, Kavanagh and the Hopes claim the laboratories in Perth and Hong Kong that tested samples were not accredited for the method of cobalt testing.
Dayle Brown, Racing Victoria’s executive general manager of integrity services, said Moody was free to appeal his suspension if he wished.
“We can confirm that we have written to Mr Moody and advised him that we would not seek to prevent an appeal against his six month suspension if he sought to pursue a challenge against the accreditation of cobalt testing methods as other trainers will do in their upcoming VCAT appeals,” Brown said.
“This advice was delivered purely on the grounds of procedural fairness and in no way is an admission that such grounds for appeal are sound.
“Given there are VCAT appeals on foot we won’t be commenting any further other than to say that we are comfortable with the processes that we have followed throughout.”
O’Brien, Kavanagh and the Hopes will have their appeals heard before VCAT beginning on August 1 where nine days have been set aside for the hearings.
Meanwhile Danny Nikolic will have his bid to regain his jockey’s licence heard by VCAT on either September 12 or October 3.