Moody Said He Will Quit Due to Penalty

Leading Australian trainer Peter Moody said he plans to quit training in the "foreseeable future" after stewards ruled he must serve a six-month suspension for unintentionally administering excessive levels of cobalt to one of his runners in 2014.

 

Moody, who gained worldwide fame as the conditioner of undefeated Australian champion sprinter Black Caviar, was cleared of the more serious charge of administering cobalt with the intent of improving a horse, avoiding a three-year ban.

 

The Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board March 17 handed Moody a 12-month ban, six months of which were suspended, for his breach of Australian Rule of Racing (AR) 175(h)(ii) in relation to the detection of the cobalt in a urine sample from his runner Lidari in 2014. 

 

Lidari returned a pre-race urine sample containing cobalt almost double the permitted threshold when finishing second in the Turnbull Stakes (Aus-I) at Flemington Oct. 4, 2014. His reading was 380 micrograms per liter of urine; the limit is 200 micrograms per liter. 

 

Cobalt is a naturally-occurring trace element; large amounts can increase red blood cell production and oxygen capacity, enabling enhanced performance. 

 

"It is readily apparent from the evidence before us that there was significant carelessness, for which Mr. Moody was responsible, in relation to the operation of his stables," RAD chairman John Bowman said in concluding remarks during the hearing. "This is particularly so in relation to the administration of cobalt, as well as general feeding, supplementation, and injection procedures.

 

"He was ignorant as to the dosages horses were receiving."

 

Pursuant to the provisions of AR 177, Lidari was disqualified from the race.

 

The rule states: "The committee of any club or the stewards may penalize: Any person who administers, or causes to be administered, to a horse any prohibited substance which is detected in any sample taken from such horse prior to or following the running of any race."

 

Moody, who has approximately 50 employees and more than 300 horses in his stable, will be eligible to resume training Sept. 20, but www.abc.net.au reported he issued his clients the following statement of his intention to quit training: 

 

"After a lot of deliberation with my family and senior management staff, we didn't feel it was going to be a viable or workable proposition to employ another trainer to care take the stable for the six-month period of my suspension," Moody said. "I have made the ultimate decision that at this point in time I will not be returning to the training of racehorses in the foreseeable future."