Patterson cops ban for cobalt

QUEENSLAND country horse trainer John Patterson has been disqualified for 18 months after pleading guilty of four charges involving cobalt.

Queensland Racing Integrity Commission stewards opened an inquiry into four post-race urine or blood samples taken from runners trained by Patterson at Roma, in Western Queensland, during July last year.

The samples were from Zapata Falls on July 15, and Zapata Falls, Florida Road and Cuban Fury on July 29.

The inquiry heard the Queensland Government Racing Science Centre found cobalt was detected in each of the samples in excess of the allowable threshold.

Patterson pleaded guilty and was sentenced at a resumed inquiry and was disqualified for 12 months on the July 15 charge and for 18 months on the other three charges to be served concurrently.

Elsewhere, Tablelands hoop Wanderson D’Avila guided Dangerous Desire ($3.30F) to her second straight victory at Rockhampton Jockey Club yesterday afternoon.

The four-year-old mare, trained by Jamie McConachy, was too smart in the $12,000 Class 1 Handicap (1200m) to bring up her second straight win at the track.

Meanwhile, Cairns hoop John Lambie will return to the saddle at Cannon Park on Tuesday after being unavailable to ride at Townsville’s Cluden Park this week.

Lambie took a minor fall at Atherton last Saturday and missed Townsville’s meeting but is confident he will be fit and firing for racing at Cairns Jockey Club.