By: racing.com Staff

Wodonga trainer Brian Cox and veterinarian Dr Robert Fielding will face the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board in August, with five days set aside for the hearing.

The RAD Board notified on Wednesday that the hearing of 13 charges (four in the alternative) against Cox and three against Dr Fielding will begin on Monday August 8, with the expectation it will continue for the remainder of the week.

Twelve of the 13 charges issued to 62-year-old Cox and two of Dr Fielding’s three charges, are in relation to the finding of Nitrotain during a raceday stable inspection by stewards on March 10 this year.

Nitrotrain is an anabolic androgenic steroid and a prohibited substance in Australian racing.

The charge sheet reads:

Trainer – Brian Cox

  • Charges 1-4:  AR 175(h)(i) – Administered, or caused to be administered, a prohibited substance (Ethylestrenol – via Nitrotrain) for the purpose of affecting the performance or behaviour of a horse in a race.
    • Charges 1 & 2 – Administration to Minnie Downs on 17 August and 21 August 2015.
    • Charges 3 & 4 – Administration to Baby Jack on 17 August and 21 August 2015.
  • Charges 5-8:  AR 178H (alternatives to Charges 1-4) – Administered, or caused to be administered, an anabolic androgenic steroid.
    • Charges 5 & 6 – Administration to Minnie Downs on 17 August and 21 August 2015.
    • Charges 7 & 8Administration to Baby Jack on 17 August and 21 August 2015.
  • Charge 9:  AR 177B(5) – Possession of a prohibited substance which could give rise to an offence under AR 177B if administered to a horse at any time.
  • Charges 10 & 11:  AR 175(a) – Improper action or practice in connection with racing.
  • Charge 12:  AR 175(g) – Give evidence that is false or misleading in any particular.
  • Charge 13:  AR 175(o) – Fail to exercise reasonable care to prevent an act of cruelty to an animal.  The charge relates to the presentation of the horse Cochrane’s Gap, trained by Mr Cox, at a jump-out on 9 December 2015 which, it is alleged, was contrary to veterinary advice.

Veterinarian – Dr Robert Fielding

  • Charge 1:  AR 175(a) – Dishonest or improper action or practice in connection with racing.
  • Charge 2:  AR 175(k) – Conduct that could have led to a breach of the Rules.
  • Charge 3:  AR 175(g) – Give evidence that is false or misleading in any particular.  The charge relates to evidence given of veterinary advice provided to Mr Cox regarding the horseCochrane’s Gap.