Updated: 1 August 2022
Issued: April 2014
Trainers are reminded that cobalt is a prohibited substance under the Rule of Racing. Possession of injectable products containing cobalt is prohibited under the Rules (AR252A).
Administration of injectable products containing cobalt to Thoroughbred racehorses is prohibited under the Rules (AR 254A).
There is a threshold concentration for cobalt in urine of 100μg/l and in plasma of 25μg/l.1
Last season in Victoria the mean raceday urinary cobalt level, from approximately 4,000 samples, was 7ug/L and the mean plasma cobalt level, from approximately 2,000 samples, was 2ug/L.
Trainers are reminded that:
- A normal racing diet is more than sufficient to meet the nutritional requirements for cobalt and vitamin B12 for Thoroughbred horses in training and racing.
- There has never been a documented case of cobalt deficiency in the horse.
- There is no equine disease for which cobalt is the indicated treatment.
- That registered injectable cobalt supplements offer no nutritional advantages because incorporation of cobalt into the vitamin B12 molecule occurs within the horse’s gut.
- It is crucial to read the label of all products given to horses.
- To avoid the simultaneous use of multiple supplements containing cobalt and vitamin B12.
- To comply with the 1 clear day restriction on the injection of any substance prior to racing.
- 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 consult with their permitted veterinarian 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.
- That administering products that are unregistered, inadequately labelled, that make claims to ‘enhance racing performance’, to be ‘undetectable’ or ‘contain no banned substances’ or which are marketed over the internet is extremely unwise.
Please direct any queries to the Racing Victoria Veterinary Services at email: veterinaryadmin@racingvictoria.net.au
RULES OF RACING:
AR 252A Possession of injectable products containing cobalt salts
(1) A person must not have in his or her possession, or on his or her premises, any injectable product which contains cobalt salts.
1 See: https://www.racingvictoria.com.au/the-sport/racing/rules-of-racing
(2) The Stewards may confiscate any product referred to in subrule (1) and use it as evidence in any inquiry, hearing or other proceeding under the Rules. AR 254A Administration of cobalt salts by injection (1) A person must not:
(a) administer;
(b) cause to be administered;
(c) attempt to administer; or
(d) be a party to the administration or attempted administration of, a product containing cobalt salts to a horse by injection.
(2) If the Stewards are satisfied that a horse has been, or is likely to have been, administered a product containing cobalt salts by injection, the Stewards may prevent the horse from starting in any race, official trial or jump-out.
(3) If a horse has been administered a product containing cobalt salts by injection, but the horse competes in a race, official trial or jump-out, the horse may be disqualified from that race, official trial or jump-out.
(4) For the purposes of this rule, an “injection” includes, but is not limited to, the insertion of a hypodermic needle into a horse.
[added 1/5/21]
SCHEDULE 1 – PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES LISTS & EXEMPTIONS/THRESHOLDS
PART 1 – SUBSTANCES PROHIBITED AT ALL TIMES
Division 1 – Prohibited List A
The substances set out below in this Division 1 are specified as prohibited substances.
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3. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) stabilisers, including but not limited to cobalt and FG-4592.
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Division 3 – Prohibited List B thresholds
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11. Cobalt at a mass concentration of 100 micrograms per litre in urine or 25 micrograms per litre in plasma.
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