MORRISEY RELUCTANT TO RACE ON
JOHN Morrisey’s training suspension ends this weekend but the veteran horseman says he has no plan to return from the “greatest injustice” in racing.
The respected Gold Coast trainer was found guilty of a cobalt offence after his horse Gorada won a race on December 31, 2016.
Tests showed 200g of cobalt in her urine sample – more than twice the allowed amount.
Morrisey, a five-times premier Gold Coast trainer, twice appealed against the original nine-month disqualification, leading to a complicated, drawn-out process.
The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal in June agreed to convert the disqualification to a suspension, which allowed him to attend racing industry events but not train.
The 69-year-old trainer, who transferred his horses to son Scott Morrisey’s stable, is free to extend to his 50 years in the racing industry on Monday.
“I don’t want to,” Morrisey said. “I enjoy being retired.
“I still poke around a bit but Scotty is doing a good job and I’m happy with things at the moment.”
Morrisey said part of him was still fuming about the suspension that resulted from him feeding Gorada a supplement called Bleedex because she and another horse were “mad crazy, sweating horses”.
Bleedex, imported from Ireland, claims to be free of prohibited substances but it does list cobalt sulfate as an ingredient.
“It’s the greatest injustice ever, this cobalt,” Morrisey said. “The officials were fair enough with me … but the issue around cobalt is the worst thing I have ever seen.
“It is making good people look bad. If you give a horse something and get a positive swab then fair enough but cobalt is in everything.”