Punters respond to O’Brien and Kavanagh VCAT Cobalt appeal win
THEY’RE back.
Mark Kavanagh and Danny O’Brien are free to resume their training careers after a shock victory in their VCAT appeal today.
The big-name duo were banned for three and four years respectively in January of 2016 after being found guilty of administering Cobalt to their runners in 2014. O’Brien return cobalt readings in four runners while Kavanagh had one.
Those readings kick-started a 26-month saga that has put millions of dollars into the pockets of legal teams as the trainers and Racing Victoria went to war.
A war that Racing Victoria lost spectacularly today.
For a full news wrap of the story as it continues to break, you can read on here:
How did the racing world respond to the news on Twitter?
It all started with the explosive news and the even more dramatic post-victory address from Danny O’Brien.
BREAKING: The VCAT appeals of Danny O’Brien and Mark Kavanagh has been allowed. https://t.co/aFv3QzgnnP
— Racing.com (@Racing) March 16, 2017
VCAT found rules prescribe how sample testing for cobalt is to be conducted. Legal consequence is that the test results were “inadmissible”
— adrian dunn (@adriandunn2) March 16, 2017
Once the news dropped, Twitter exploded.
And the overriding emotion?
Frustration.
@BradThompson83 summed it up nicely.
Make no mistake, heads will roll at Victorian Racing.
Entire racing industry tarnished, top trainers dragged through mud, reputation & business destroyed. All for what? ?? racing. #cobalt
— Brad Thompson (@BradThompson83) March 16, 2017
How have O’Brien and Kavanagh dealt with their three years in the wilderness? Will they seek compensation? Big questions will be asked in the coming days.
@snowyclark @RacingInsider 3 yrs + finally the correct outcome. Can only imagine the stress of it all on these guys + their support network
— Amanda (@showaheart) March 16, 2017
And to add salt to the wounds, Australian racing is copping it from overseas, where the the Japanese account @LongBallToNoOne is calling it as he (and the rest of us) see it.
Wow, Oz racing on fire #laughingstock
O’Brien, Kavanagh win cobalt appeal https://t.co/xP1aIXmdat via @punters
— G (@LongBallToNoOne) March 16, 2017
So as the facts come out and Kavanagh and O’Brien express their discontent and anger at the ‘lies’ and ‘manipulation’ from Racing Victoria, the microscope will hover over steward Terry Bailey and the entire racing body.
These are the best of the take downs and reactions:
How many failures is one department allowed?
— D Is For Dave (@Wrouty) March 16, 2017
I think Terry Bailey might be on https://t.co/hifxjVhGd0 this afternoon
— Matt Nicholls (@mattnicholls29) March 16, 2017
#VCAT pic.twitter.com/BMhvNs4DC9
— Declan Schuster (@SchusterDeclan) March 16, 2017
The sooner there is one body running the one sport , the easier it will be to manage expectations. One rule for all. #VCAT #cobalt
— Joel (@joeldavies12) March 16, 2017
“Can opened…..worms everywhere”. #cobalt #chandlerbingquotes
— Sportsman (@TheOzSportsman) March 16, 2017
Meanwhile at RVL HQ pic.twitter.com/LAAwSGrVNl
— Nick Meredith (@Fof1967) March 16, 2017
But, our tweet of the day goes to Mark Kavanagh (or whoever runs his stable’s Twitter account).
You get the feeling the Kavanagh and O’Brien families will be celebrating long and hard tonight.
Please note the power is out @FlemingtonVRC for anyone trying to contact the office
— Mark Kavanagh Racing (@MarkKavanaghRac) March 16, 2017