By Clinton Payne

A national threshold for levels of cobalt allowed in a horse’s system will come into effect from the first day of 2015.

Racing Victoria introduced a local rule on April 14, which designates cobalt a prohibited substance at a concentration of greater than 200 micrograms per litre in urine. From January 1, the rest of the country will adopt the same rule.

“A threshold level has been introduced into the Rules of Racing to recognise that cobalt can be present at very low levels when naturally occurring or as a result of routine nutritional sources,” an Australian Racing Board release said.

“This threshold has been determined following a national survey of the racing horse population which measured cobalt levels in normal racehorses during training and racing.

“The threshold has been set at a level to allow for normal levels of cobalt supplementation through routine nutritional sources. However, trainers are advised that the administration, particularly by injection and on multiple occasions, of certain registered vitamin supplements close to racing may result in a level of cobalt in a subsequent sample that exceeds this threshold.”

Two trainers in NSW and a training partnership in Victoria are currently under investigation for alleged elevated levels of cobalt in horses under their care.

Newcastle trainer Darren Smith has had his nominations refused by Racing NSW stewards since May after elevated levels of cobalt were found in 16 samples taken from 13 horses he trained.

At a recent inquiry into the matter it was revealed the highest reading returned was the one provided by Testarhythm after the gelding won the Ortensia Stakes at Scone on May 17. The A-sample produced a reading of 6470ng/mL with the B-sample being 6200ng/mL.

Kembla trainer Paul Murray is also under investigation by NSW stewards after they detected the presence of cobalt in a vial of liquid confiscated from his stables. Subsequent testing of samples taken from Murray’s former topliner Alma’s Fury showed a “concentration of cobalt”.

Earlier this month Victorian stewards announced two horses from the Lee and Shannon Hope stable returned samples containing cobalt at levels above the local threshold. A date for the inquiry is yet to be announced.