Kavanagh & O'Brien runners return positive tests

Flemington-based Mark Kavanagh and Danny O'Brien were both this morning notified by Racing Victoria stewards of positive swab findings for runners under their care.

It is understood that the positive finding for the outlawed blood doping drug cobalt chloride relates to horses that raced during the Victorian spring carnival. 

The three Danny O'Brien-trained horses in which a prohibited substance has been detected are:

- Caravan Rolls On (when finishing eighth in the Lexus Stakes at Flemington on 1 November 2014);
- Bondeiger (when finishing second in the Group 1 Victoria Derby at Flemington on 1 Novemeber 2014);
- De Little Engine (when the gelding won a 2300m race at Ballarat on 22 November 2014). 

The Kavanagh-trained runner who has returned a positive is Magicool in the Listed UCI Stakes at Flemington on 4 October. 

Kavanagh issued a statement expressing his shock at the result.  

“The morning Racing Victoria informed that one of my runners tested positive to a banned substance in October last year,” Kavanagh said in the statement.

“This has come as a complete shock to me as I have always placed great emphasis on integrity and operating within the rules of racing. We are, unfortunately, not the only stable in this situation.

“I am co-operating fully with the Racing Victoria Integrity Services Department to investigate how this could occur and hopefully we will resolve the matter as soon as possible.

“I have a responsibility to my valued clients and staff to run my stable in a professional manner and believe I have always done that.”

The news is another blow for the integrity of Victorian racing, with the industry reeling after the news that the Peter Moody-trained Lidari returned a positive for cobalt after his second in the Turnbull Stakes.