Five Trainers Face Prize Money Freeze

Five Victorian trainers at the centre of cobalt charges have avoided a suspension of their licences but they will face a spring carnival prize money freeze.

Racing Victoria stewards announced on Monday that prize money earned in Victorian Group and Listed races by Peter Moody, Danny O'Brien, Mark Kavanagh and the training partnership of Lee and Shannon Hope would be withheld and placed in a trust account, starting immediately.

The announcement came after the trainers appeared before stewards last week to show cause as to why their training licences should not be suspended pending their hearings.

Trainer Peter Moody.Trainer Peter Moody.

In delivering the news on Monday, Racing Victoria's chief steward Terry Bailey said the participation of the trainers in the Melbourne spring carnival threatened to undermine the image of racing.

The stewards said it was integral to safeguard the reputation and image of the sport, particularly in races which attracted significant national and international attention.

Bailey said stewards had noted the trainers intended to defend the charges brought against them and if they were cleared of guilt by an independent RAD board, the prize money would be returned to them.

The trainers will still be paid their prize money percentages from non-stakes races.

Bailey said suspending the licences of the five trainers before their charges could be heard by the RAD Board would have had dire consequences on their respective businesses and employees.

Stewards believe the decision to suspend prize money sends a strong message to the racing industry and the public that trainers facing charges will not profit from major races.

It is the first time stewards have handed out penalties before charges have been heard.

Their power to do so stemmed from a new rule introduced after the Damien Oliver betting scandal.

Moody's cobalt charge arose after Lidari returned a concentration level above the threshold when second in the Group One Turnbull Stakes at Flemington last October.

Kavanagh's charge came from Magicool winning at Flemington during the same period, while O'Brien had four horses return high readings.

The elevated cobalt levels returned by horses from the Hopes' stable came from pre-race samples taken from gallopers who were unplaced in races in June, July and September last year.

Charges against the Hopes will be heard by the RAD Board beginning on October 15 while a date is yet to be fixed for Moody, O'Brien and Kavanagh.

Cobalt is a substance found naturally in horses, however a marked increase in levels is believed to improve a horse's performance.

Racing Victoria introduced a cobalt threshold in April 2014 which was adopted nationally at the start of the year.