Racing Victoria investigators "are to start interviewing veterinary surgeons who treated horses at the centre of the cobalt chloride scandal," according to Patrick Bartley of THE AGE. Vets acting for leading trainers Peter Moody, Mark Kavanagh and Danny O'Brien "will be asked to give evidence in relation to the five positive tests revealed this week." Chief steward Terry Bailey would not comment on the interviews on Thursday, saying only that it was an "ongoing inquiry." The source of the banned substance cobalt "will also be a key feature of the Racing Victoria investigation" (THE AGE, 1/15). In Sydney, Baxendale & Cormick wrote frozen urine samples taken from horses at race meetings held more than a year ago "will be tested for levels of cobalt chloride as part of Racing Queensland’s crackdown on the use of the banned performance-enhancing substance." GM of Stewarding & Integrity for Racing Queensland Wade Birch said that "he had received information in 2013 that cobalt was being used" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 1/16). Also in Sydney, Chris Roots wrote stewards "will proceed with what appear to be test cases against trainers Darren Smith and Paul Murray before revealing whether any other horses returned elevated readings last year in what is feared to be a cobalt epidemic in Australian racing." Racing Queensland announced on Thursday that "it had also found cobalt irregularities, some during the winter carnival, which would undergo further testing." However, Racing NSW Chief Steward Ray Murrihy said that "he would would not discuss whether there had been any other irregularities uncovered in the state until the Smith and Murray cases were concluded" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 1/16).
