Kavanagh says vet in cobalt case a liar

A vet who claims Mark Kavanagh paid $3000 for a substance called vitamin complex is a liar, the trainer has told his cobalt appeal.

Kavanagh said there was no proof drips given to some of his racehorses contained the vitamin complex, despite vet Dr Tom Brennan’s admission that he added the substance.

“There’s no evidence to support that,” Kavanagh told his appeal against his three-year disqualification over the horse Magicool’s October 2014 cobalt positive.

“Dr Brennan’s a liar.”

Brennan maintains Kavanagh and fellow Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien knew he was adding the vitamin complex to drips and each paid $3000 for three bottles of it, but none of them knew it contained cobalt.

Racing Victoria barrister Jeff Gleeson QC on Monday put to Kavanagh that Brennan told him the substance being added to the drips included the vitamin complex and cost $1000 a bottle.

Kavanagh said that was incorrect, as was Brennan’s claim the trainer paid $3000 cash for the bottles.

“My evidence is I never paid Tom Brennan any money,” Kavanagh told the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Kavanagh has said he trialled an IV drip regime for delivering vitamins on Brennan’s suggestion but stopped it after a month as it was not benefiting the horses.

Kavanagh maintained there was no link between Magicool being treated for colic-like symptoms – a week before his run in the 2014 Victoria Derby – and his decision to stop using the drips from that day.

Brennan has said he told Kavanagh he could not guarantee the contents of the vitamin complex bottle, which the trainer said was a lie.

“When you employ a vet, they’re told from the start that they do not have any unguaranteed products,” Kavanagh said on Monday.

“That is nothing short of a ridiculous allegation. I can’t believe he even said it.”

Brennan has said Kavanagh said “stuff that, just use it” when told the vet could not 100 per cent guarantee the bottle’s contents and testing would cost from $10,000 to $100,000.

Kavanagh said that was also a lie.

A bottle of vitamin complex Brennan sent to Kavanagh’s son, Sydney trainer Sam Kavanagh, was found to contain high concentrations of cobalt.