Hopes lose appeal over cobalt bans

Victorian trainers Lee and Shannon Hope have lost an appeal against their cobalt disqualifications.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Friday found both trainers guilty of administering a prohibited substance to affect the performance of three horses in 2014 races, with a hearing to be held at a later date about their penalties.

The father-and-son training partners had denied administering cobalt to affect the horses’ performances, for which they were banned for three and five years respectively by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board.