Officials at Racing Australia announced Thursday that the current cobalt threshold in urine will be lowered from 200 micrograms per litre of urine to 100 mcg/L to align itself with all other major international racing jurisdictions. Additionally, Racing Australia will also introduce a new cobalt plasma threshold of 25 mcg/L. According to Racing Australia, plasma sampling is a more effective method of detecting cobalt levels, as plasma cobalt levels remain elevated longer than urine after high doses. The new levels take effect as of 1 September 2016.
Over the last several months, many high-profile Australian trainers have run afoul of the current limits, including Black Caviar's trainer Peter Moody, who decided to shutter his stable after being handed a six-month ban. Trainers Sam Kavanagh and Darren Smith are also serving suspensions, while Mark Kavanagh and Danny O'Brien are set to have cobalt-related appeals heard next month.
Officials at Racing Australia remind trainers:
• That a normal racing diet is more than sufficient to meet a horse's nutritional requirements for cobalt and vitamin B12.
• That registered injectable cobalt supplements offer no nutritional advantages because incorporation of cobalt into the vitamin B12 molecule occurs within the horse's gut.
• To consult with their veterinarians to ensure that their oral supplementation regimen provides only the amount of cobalt necessary to meet the scientifically established nutritional requirements of the horse for cobalt.
• To administer only nutritional supplements that are manufactured or marketed by reputable companies and to administer such supplements only at the manufacturer's recommended dose and frequency of administration.
• To avoid the simultaneous use of multiple supplements containing cobalt and vitamin B12.
• That administering products that are inadequately labelled, that make claims to enhance racing performance or to be 'undetectable', or which are marketed over the internet is extremely unwise.
• To comply with the one clear day restriction on the injection of any substance prior to racing.
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