Sam Kavanagh stood down and to face cobalt, caffeine and treatment charges

By Chris Roots

Rosehill trainer Sam Kavanagh has been stood down by Racing NSW stewards and will face an inquiry next month to answer eight charges relating to the use of cobalt and caffeine and the raceday treatment of three horses.

“Stewards formed the opinion that Mr Kavanagh’s continued participation in racing might pose an unacceptable risk to, prejudice or undermine the image, interests or integrity of racing,” a release from chairman of stewards Ray Murrihy stated.

Stewards considered submissions put by Anthony Hartnell of Atanaskovic Hartnell Lawyers on Kavanagh’s behalf before exercising delegated powers available under AR8(z) to suspended the trainer’s licence.

Kavanagh had trained under a cloud for the past couple of months and prepared Tales Of Grimm to win the Scone Cup last Friday.

He has admitted making misleading statements to stewards before admitting to the raceday treatments to Gosford Cup winner Midsummer Sun before his win on January 9 as well as to Ceda Miss and Palazzo Pubblico, which also won, before the Warwick Farm meeting on January 7. There are mandatory bans related to several of the charges he is facing.

Stewards have gathered information from phones and computers during their investigation, “in respect to race-day administrations to multiple horses in the Sam Kavanagh stable and the supply of race-day medications to Mr Kavanagh”.

They also have “incriminating evidence given by a person interviewed with respect to race-day administrations to multiple horses in the Sam Kavanagh stable”.

Stewards deferred Kavanagh’s suspension until Wednesday on the condition that he does not enter, accept for or start a horse in a race or official trial during the seven-day period. Kavanagh was advised of his rights of appeal.

Meanwhile, John McNair will face a stewards inquiry on June 4 into the presence of methylamphetamine and amphetamine in the post-race sample taken from Normandy after it ran fourth at Newcastle on March 18. Swab samples taken from personnel involved with handling horses at McNair’s training base, have all returned negative results.