TRAINERS Joseph O'Brien and Michael O'Connor have had a winner disqualified for testing positive for cobalt.

There has been a huge increase in positive drug tests in Irish racing this year. Only five positives were returned in both 2016 and 2017 but there have been approximatelly 30 this year. Some trainers believe the rise is linked to the change in laboratory being used by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Body [IHRB] to test samples, though the IHRB has not commented.

Cobalt is a mineral present in some over-the-counter feed supplements. The scientific community is divided over whether cobalt is performance-enhancing but all major racing nations have an international threshold for the substance. In Ireland it is 100 nanograms per millilitre.

O'Connor's case relates to a hurdle race won by Awbeg Prince at Ballinrobe on May 29th. The horse had been off the track for eight months and O'Connor told the Referrals Committee this week that the horse was on a "regimen of supplements" in the lead-up to the race.

The IHRB's chief veterinary officer Dr Lynn Hillyer reviewed the list of supplements provided by O'Connor and said that she did not believe they were the source of the adverse dope test findings.

It was the IHRB's view that the substance was administered by injection close to the race but they were not sufficiently satisfied that O'Connor was personally responsible.

The horse was disqualified and the trainer fined €1,000 with costs of €500 awarded in favour of the IHRB. The race was awarded to Oliver McKiernan's Gallant John Joe.

MULTIPLE WINNER

Joseph O'Brien's winner to return a positive test for cobalt was Pedisnap at Gowran Park on August 15th, the filly's third win of the season.

Dr Hillyer reported that, following an investigation, she believed the source of the cobalt was a salt lick which Pedisnap was exposed to on a daily basis, including on the day of the race.

The Referrals Committee accepted that the trainer had insufficient information available to him on the ingredients of the product. They imposed a €1,000 fine but waived it as they were satisfied he had taken all reasonable precautions to avoid a rule breach. The race was awarded to Pat Flynn's Lizard Point.

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