Charges could sink Moody
PETER Moody’s biggest owners remain staunch, saying they will not prematurely abandon the trainer as he faces cobalt charges that could ruin his career.
Moody said yesterday he had expected to be charged with presentation but not administration of a prohibited substance, regarding Lidari’s positive drug test to cobalt.
“To be charged with administration is extremely disappointing,’’ a devastated Moody said. “Presentation, of course, because there is no doubt that for whatever reason I can’t explain how the horse tested over the threshold, but administration is very disappointing and now it’s in the hands of the lawyers.’’
Sources close to Moody say he faces an “impossible’’ dilemma; fighting the charges could ruin him in legal fees and not fighting them would “make the world think he’d cheated’’.
Moody, a four-time Melbourne premiership winner and trainer of the legendary Black Caviar, will consult with his family before determining his course of action.
He faces up to three years disqualification — which would almost certainly prompt him to walk away from the sport — if found guilty of administering illegal levels of cobalt to Lidari before it ran second in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington last spring.
But Moody and fellow trainers Mark Kavanagh, Danny O’Brien and Lee and Shannon Hope, would face a far lesser penalty, maybe even a fine, if found guilty of presentation.
One of Moody’s biggest owners, Racing Victoria chairman David Moodie, insisted he was not conflicted as industry “boss’’ and major supporter of Victoria’s most famous trainer.
Moody’s case will be heard before the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board at a date to be fixed.
It is likely the Hopes, O’Brien and Kavanagh hearings will come first and it is appearing increasingly likely they will coincide with the spring racing carnival.
Moodie races dozens of horses with Moody, including Moody’s most recent Group 1 winner, The Goodwood Handicap winner Flamberge.
“There is presumed innocence in all such cases and Peter must now face an inquiry,’’ Moodie said, adding he was “very comfortable’’ he did not face any conflict of inter- est, a view supported by RV’s integrity team.
RV chief steward Terry Bailey and colleague Dion Villella visited Moody at his Caulfield stables early yesterday to inform him he faced three charges relating to Lidari’s positive test to cobalt.
Bailey said Moody accepted the charges “in a professional manner’’ and said Moody’s explanation for the illegal level was tested by stewards and “doesn’t explain those levels’’.
“As I’ve said all along, all these cases have their own stories and Mr Moody had given us an explanation as to what may have caused it and we did some trials and tests on that substance that was being used and it just took longer than the others to complete,’’ Bailey said. “He was using a powder that contained some cobalt for treatment for a horse’s hoofs, that trial test has been done and those results don’t explain these levels.”
Bailey said he believed there were only two possible explanations for illegal cobalt levels.
“The scenarios are either they’ve received large doses prior to raceday or received raceday treatment. That’s about where we’re at,” he said.