Cobalt trainers facing hardship

Legal counsel for the two trainers appealing their cobalt disqualifications has alleged Racing Victoria may have “manipulated evidence”.

Damian Sheales is representing trainers Danny O’Brien and Mark Kavanagh as they fight their respective four and three year bans on cobalt charges.

Forensic IT analyst Brendan McCreesh was being cross examined by Sheales after being requested by RV to subpoena Telstra records of vets Adam Matthews and Tom Brennan and the trainers.

There was a delay when Sheales asked McCreesh to supply his instructions.

“This is very important evidence as it might be about manipulation of evidence from Racing Victoria,” Sheales told the hearing at the Victorian Civil and Aministrative Tribunal on Monday .

Earlier in his opening address, Sheales told of the hardship the ongoing cobalt saga has had on his clients.

He said O’Brien’s horse numbers had dropped from 200 to 80 and Kavanagh from 125 to 25 since the cobalt saga began 18 months ago.

Sheales also said the cost of the appeal hearing, now in it’s 17th day, was staggering.

“My clients spent $35,000 last week cross examining Adam Matthews,” Sheales said.