Racing WA stewards have again adjourned their inquiry into trainer Meryl Hayley after hearing further evidence relating to two charges involving the alleged possession of an injectable cobalt product and a prohibited substance detected in a race-day sample.
The inquiry, which originally commenced on January 5, resumed on Wednesday following earlier delays, with several witnesses giving evidence before proceedings were adjourned to allow Hayley to call additional witnesses prior to final submissions.
Hayley has pleaded not guilty to a charge alleging she possessed Hemoplex, an injectable product containing cobalt salts, at her training premises on December 16, 2025, in breach of Australian Rule of Racing 252A(1).
She has also denied a separate charge under Australian Rule of Racing 240(2), which alleges she presented Divine Inanna to race at Geraldton on October 12, 2025, when the mare later returned a post-race urine sample containing cobalt above the permitted threshold of 100 micrograms per litre after winning Race 6.
Stewards lifted Hayley’s trainer’s licence suspension on March 17 after considering submissions from her legal representatives and pending the outcome of Appeal 892 involving Grant and Alana Williams.
Racing WA noted at the time that it reserved the right to reconsider Hayley’s suspension depending on the outcome of that appeal or the progress of the inquiry.
The matter had initially been scheduled to resume on March 26 but was postponed because of the availability of the parties involved.
Stewards have confirmed the inquiry will continue on August 13.
