Racing Queensland Integrity department has announced that a number of swab samples taken from 9 harness horses and 3 thoroughbred horses have had their B samples sent off for further testing.
Initial tests have come back showing Cobalt levels in excess of the allowed threshold.
The racing industry world wide has some concerns about the effects on race performance of horses which exhibit high cobalt levels in their system. Cobalt is available in small amounts in a number of commercially available feed supplements and some veterinary injectable reparations containing cyanocobalin (B12). However there are reports that some trainers have been feeding high doses Cobalt Chloride to horses in training. Cobalt chloride in itself is not an illegal substance but in high doses has the effect of being able to boost EPO levels, effectively increasing the oxygen carrying capacity of red blood cells.
Excessive quantities of cobalt chloride can be toxic to a number of body organs including disruption of thyroid gland function.
Racing Victoria has also recently announced that high profile trainers Peter Moody, Danny O’Brien and Mark Kavanah have also had horses return elevated cobalt levels and further investigations are continuing.