Former racing boss takes action over leak

Former Racing Victoria boss David Moodie is taking legal action against the racing integrity commissioner to clear his name over a cobalt investigation leak.

Commissioner Sal Perna in December found Mr Moodie told trainer Peter Moody about a cobalt inquiry into fellow trainers Mark Kavanagh and Danny O’Brien in January 2015, potentially undermining the investigation.

He also found Mr Moodie knowingly misled the Racing Victoria Integrity Council and Board about the disclosures.

However, the investigation found Mr Moodie was not the original source of the leak, and he is now taking action.

Mr Moodie is seeking to have the findings overturned and an order stating Mr Perna failed to act fairly.

In a Supreme Court writ filed in February, Mr Moodie accused the integrity commissioner of unfairness and failing to gather all evidence under oath.

Mr Perna says the report was based on more than 30 interviews and includes the “probably original source” of the leak, but it has not been released publicly.

Mr Moodie stood down as chairman in October 2016 before the investigation.