By: Andrew Eddy

Racing Victoria stewards have continued their hard line on prohibited substance cobalt, announcing charges on Thursday against four trainers for offences dating back as far as 2015.

Stewards issued nine charges, of which six are in the alternative, against licensed training partners Terry and Karina O’Sullivan following their investigations into the circumstances that led to two horses from the stable, Darragh (twice) and Gold A Plenty, returning urine samples in 2015 and 2016 containing cobalt in excess of the permitted threshold of 200 micrograms per litre in urine.

The father and daughter training team face charges under AR 175 (h) (i), AR 175 (h) (ii) and 178 relating to administration of a prohibited substance as well as presentation.

Three cobalt charges were also laid against trainer Monica Croston regarding her horse Hezza Tidal Wave, who returned illegal cobalt levels in 2016.

Trainer Matthew Leek was issued four charges after his horse Champagne Kisses returned illegal cobalt levels after a race in March in 2016.

And Trevor Andrews had three charges levelled against him after his horse Coppola returned an elevated cobalt reading in December 2016.

The charges will be heard by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on dates to be fixed.