Queensland trainer outed on cobalt charge

Queensland country trainer Victor Newman has been disqualified for a second time on a cobalt-related charge.

Stewards opened an inquiry into a pre-race urine sample taken from the Newman-trained Sheezalair when she ran third at Warwick on April 14.

At a resumed inquiry Newman was found guilty of a charge of bringing a horse to race with a prohibited substance cobalt above the allowable threshold.

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Acting chief steward Daniel Aurisch said when considering an appropriate penalty stewards took into account the strict liability on the trainer to present horses to race free of prohibited substances, the negative impact of such offences, the cobalt level was well in excess of the threshold and Newman has previously been penalised under the rule for the same substance.

Newman was disqualified for 12 months and Sheezalair was disqualified from her third placing.

In 2016 Newman, in his then role as a stable foreman for John Smith, was disqualified for 12 months by NSW stewards on a cobalt-related charge from a sample taken from a horse at Lismore races in May that year.