Racing Victoria's decision to issue show-cause notices against the trainers facing cobalt charges "is a remarkable backflip" from a position expressed by GM of Integrity Services Dayle Brown last month, according to Chris Roots of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. The only piece of evidence, "which appears to have changed in the time since the June radio interview by Brown was that vet Tom Brennan had come forward to correct his evidence in relation to the Mark Kavanagh and Danny O'Brien cases last week." Brown said that "there were three separate cases involving cobalt in Victoria," which "have some commonality" in them. He "went on to clearly state the view of the regulatory body at the time." Brown said, "The trainers maintain that view and we've got to a case now where a prima-facie case has been established and charges have been issued." Racing Victoria's announcement of the show-cause notices on Friday night "has drawn a strong response from Damian Sheales, who is the legal counsel for Kavanagh and O'Brien." He "wants the hearings to be open to the media on Wednesday, not closed, as Racing Victoria indicated they would be in its release." Sheales: "We've got absolutely nothing to hide. We want it all on the table" (SMH, 7/27).
