Appeal clouds trainers crown
THE race for Gold Coast Turf Club’s trainers premiership could be set for a bizarre conclusion, with John Morrisey’s cobalt appeal likely to take up to three months to resolve.
Helen Page on Saturday locked up the prestigious mantle – for now – courtesy of a winless meet from both her (20 wins) and chief rival Morrisey (19).
Yet there remains a backdrop of uncertainty given Morrisey’s 20th Gold Coast winner – mare Gorada on December 31 – was later disqualified for a prohibited substance.
Racing Queensland found 200 micrograms of cobalt in the galloper’s system – double the allowable threshold – after taking a sample of her urine.
That stripped “win” has proved telling given the trainers premiership, which does not include prizemoney, would ultimately have been shared between Page and Morrisey.
The matter is headed for a Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal external review following Morrisey’s second appeal.
A hearing between parties was held last week but the trainer tipped the issue to last as long as three months before a conclusion is reached.
“I just cop it all, whatever happens,” said Morrisey, who was initially slugged with a nine-month suspension over the cobalt findings.
The 68-year-old, a fivetime Gold Coast trainers premiership winner, admitted the title was a secondary concern at the moment given his shrinking stable has been left with only four horses in work.
“Once this sort of thing happens you king of end up with no horses,” he said.
“When these sort of things happen you don’t get any more horses.
“But whatever happens happens and you have to live with it.”
There was another twist in the saga at the Gold Coast meeting on Saturday when Morrisey’s Signoria ($10) was beaten by a nose by Darren Bell’s Capa Cayee ($5.50) in the $14,000 Fillies and Mares Maiden Handicap (1400m).