Cobalt Lab Accreditation 'not An Issue'
- Monday, 05 September 2016 08:27
The fact the laboratories involved in four Victorian trainers' cobalt cases lacked specific accreditation for the method used to test for the substance in horse urine "wasn't an issue", an inquiry has heard.
No laboratory in the world had an accredited method to test for cobalt in equine urine when Racing Victoria introduced its cobalt threshold in April 2014, Racing Analytical Services Ltd lab director David Batty said.
Batty said there was no issue in his mind the two official racing laboratories involved were accredited to conduct the analyses of trainers Mark Kavanagh, Danny O'Brien and Lee and Shannon Hope's cobalt positives in 2014.
RASL was not able to test for cobalt at the time and the urine samples for the trainers' horses were sent to Perth-based ChemCentre and the Hong Kong Jockey Club lab.
ChemCentre had an accredited method for testing of cobalt in urine generally, the trainers' appeal against their cobalt disqualifications heard on Monday.
"In early 2014 no laboratory in the world had an accredited method for cobalt in equine urine," Batty told the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Batty said there was no concern about the labs' accreditation, as they were accredited to test for cobalt in urine.
Batty maintained he discussed where to send the samples and the accreditation status of labs to test in equine urine or urine generally with Racing Victoria, mainly with its former compliance assurance team head Kane Ashby.
"I would have discussed with RVL the accreditation status of the laboratories at the time and in my view it wasn't an issue," Batty said.
"Certainly there was no issue in my mind that the laboratory was accredited to do the work involved."
Ashby has previously told VCAT he was absolutely astounded by the claim Batty told him ChemCentre and the HKJC lab did not have the accreditation to test for cobalt.
Batty said his recollection differed from Ashby's.
Batty said at the time there was not a lot of choice in finding a lab to test the samples for cobalt.
"The fact that ChemCentre had accreditation for urine was something that we felt was OK because there was really no other choice," he said.
He said HKJC was considered a world leader in testing for metals, although it did not have its testing method accredited then as there was no international threshold for cobalt.
Batty said RASL was entitled to use methods that had not been accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities.
He said RASL could be testing for thousands of compounds in the early screening stage and no lab had an accredited methodology for each specific substance.
ChemCentre manager Charles Russo will give evidence from Perth on Tuesday before Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey takes the stand.
Omei Sword Confirmed For Golden Rose
- Monday, 05 September 2016 08:27
Omei Sword has rocketed to the top of the Golden Rose market alongside Astern with trainer Chris Waller deciding to take up the challenge to run the filly in the Group One race.
The winner of the Silver Shadow Stakes last Saturday week, Omei Sword has been the subject of much deliberation by the stable with Waller announcing on Monday she would take on her male counterparts in Saturday's $1 million feature.
The other option was to wait a week and run in the Group Two Tea Rose Stakes, also over 1400 metres, against the fillies on her way to the Flight Stakes on October 1.
Omei Swor, trained by Chris Waller
Waller will also run former Queensland colt Nikitas in the Golden Rose at Rosehill.
"Our stable intends to have two runners in the Golden Rose, the first being Omei Sword who has done well since her first up run," Waller said.
"And whilst taking on the boys, I feel that she is strong enough and has the ability to be competitive in this race.
"Nikitas will be our other runner. This colt has taken good benefit from his unlucky first-up run."
Omei Sword and Godolphin colt Astern are at $3.50 ahead of Tuesday's declaration of the final field.
Divine Prophet is the only other runner under double figures at $4.60 with Derryn and Yankee Rose at $11.
The ATC Sires' Produce winner, Yankee Rose has also been under scrutiny with trainer David Vandyke finally giving her the all-clear to run after a pleasing raceday gallop at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.
Yankee Rose will be ridden by Hong Kong-based Australian Zac Purton who rode her to her Group One win in the autumn.
There has been speculation Joao Moreira would also make the trip from Hong Kong to ride Omei Sword but Waller said he would confirm his Golden Rose jockeys on Tuesday morning.
Happy Trails To Return In Makybe Diva Stks
- Monday, 05 September 2016 08:27
With retirement plans shelved for now, spring carnival stalwart Happy Trails returns to Flemington for the seventh consecutive year.
The winner of seven races and more than $3.2 million, the nine-year-old makes his reappearance in Saturday's Group One Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).
Happy Trails hasn't raced since finishing fifth to Lucia Valentina in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick but has been given a steady build-up by Adelaide trainer Paul Beshara.
"He had six weeks in the paddock but was on the walker every day," Beshara said.
"It keeps him active and stops the arthritis that we get as we get older."
Beshara's biggest concern has been getting Happy Trails fit on the wet tracks in Adelaide.
The gelding has finished third in two trials at Gawler and Morphettville but Beshara is keen to see Happy Trails on top of the ground.
"It's been very bad here," Beshara said.
"He's had two trials so I'm looking forward to getting him on something dry so he can have a good sprint.
"We've done a lot of work on the synthetic track because the grass has been too heavy.
"He'll need this run. If we had some dry tracks where I could gallop him I could get him fitter, but I couldn't."
Where Happy Trails heads after Saturday will be determined by his first-up run.
Happy Trails holds a nomination for the Cox Plate, a race he has contested for the past four years with his best result a half head second to Shamus Award in 2013.
Whether he heads down that path or is aimed at the Emirates Stakes, a race he won in 2014 when known as the Mackinnon, will be decided by his performances.
"Sometimes it can be a bit greedy going to the Cox Plate and the Mackinnon," Beshara said.
"I think it will be one of the other."
Beshara said although retirement was on the table for Happy Trails at the end of his last campaign, he had thrived back in the stable.
"He's enjoyed his work," Beshara said. "He's not a paddock horse, he loves the stables and the attention."
Apprentice Orman To Make Rosehill Debut
- Monday, 05 September 2016 08:27
Top Queensland apprentice James Orman's first trip to Rosehill can deliver him his biggest win in the Sheraco Stakes.
Orman is set to ride Sold For Song, a Listed winner who has only missed a place once in nine starts, in Saturday's Group Three race.
The 19-year-old has ridden at Randwick once, but Golden Rose day will be the first time he has set foot on the western Sydney track.
"I'm really excited," Orman said.
"I've won a few black-type races but not a Group Three so it'd be career highlight.
"It should be a big day and I'm on a horse that should be a very live chance in the race."
Apart from drawing on the experience of the Brisbane jockeys' room, Orman plans to fly to Sydney on Friday evening to give him time to prepare for the meeting.
Orman said he recognised Sold For Song's potential when he won his first stakes race on her in December's Listed Gold Edition Plate.
"I said then if she improved a couple of lengths she's going to have a big carnival in Brisbane and she did," Orman said.
Sold For Song's Listed Daybreak Lover win was sandwiched between placings in the Queensland and Sunshine Coast Guineas.
"I reckon she can improve a couple of lengths again," Orman said.
"She's going to be right in a big race over the carnival in Melbourne."
Toowoomba trainer Kevin Kemp has earmarked the Group Two Tristarc Stakes on Caulfield Cup Day as her first Melbourne run.
Before that, Orman and Sold For Song are planning to return to Rosehill in two weeks for the $400,000 Golden Pendant.
The former gymnast led the Brisbane senior riders' premiership for much of last season before finishing third on 70 winners behind Jeff Lloyd and Jim Byrne.
He outrode his metropolitan claim and won the Queensland apprentices' title with 143 winners. '
After he finishes his spring carnival duties on Sold For Song, Orman will have a three-week stint in Singapore he won by being named the Queensland Racing Media Association rising star.
Sold For Song is one of 17 nominations for the Sheraco Stakes which include Dixie Blossoms, Pearls and Nancy.
Durendal To Resume In Bobbie Lewis
- Monday, 05 September 2016 08:27
Durendal's affinity for Flemington's straight 1200m-course gives him the chance to snare an early season Group Two win in the Bobbie Lewis Quality.
Co-trainer Simon Zahra says while Durendal is just below the top sprinters, he can find his place this campaign, starting on Saturday.
"He likes the straight and we're just going to plot a little sprinting path for him," Zahra said.
"He's not up to the best of the best. He's just below them."
A half-brother to multiple Group One winner Flamberge, Durendal had a successful summer last season with three consecutive wins at Ballarat in late November before winning twice over the 1200m at Flemington.
Those two victories were in an open handicap in December and the Group Three Standish Handicap on New Year's Day.
The gelding was sent for a break after a luckless run in the John Dillon Stakes at Caulfield in January and made a cameo appearance in May at Flemington when fourth in the Listed Straight Six (1200m).
"Just to tick him through winter we gave him the one run and then he just had a month out in the paddock and was back in again," Zahra said.
There were 20 entries taken on Monday for the Bobbie Lewis headed by Stradbroke Handicap winner Under The Louvre and New Zealand star Xtravagant.
Xtravagant was taken out of the McLeod Stakes at Moonee Valley with a slight temperature last week but pleased co-trainer Stephen Autridge in a gallop on Saturday at Flemington and he said the horse had missed no work.
"He worked over an easy 1000 metres," Autridge said.
"He will have another gallop on Tuesday morning and that will top him off nicely. He is a very happy horse."