Racing NSW Stewards now have confirmation of cobalt found in 16 swab samples taken from 13 individual horses trained by Darren Smith.

The horses and races relevant to the reports are as follows:-

Idle Chat, on 14/02/2014 at Port Macquarie and on 21/05/2014 at Kensington;

Pirandello, on 15/02/2014 at Rosehill Gardens;

Straiffic, on 22/02/2014 at Port Macquarie;

Dream Choice, on 1/03/2014 at Rosehill Gardens;

Soul Serenade, on 4/03/2014 at Muswellbrook;

Organisms, on 10/04/2014 at Hawkesbury;

Afflictions, on 12/04/2014 at Newcastle;

Braided, on 17/04/2014 at Wyong and on 16/05/2014 at Scone;

Nisroc, on 21/04/2014 at Kensington and on 20/05/2014 at Williamtown (non-raceday);

Prize, on 22/04/2014 at Port Macquarie and on 18/05/2014 at Port Macquarie;

Unadulterated, on 29/04/2014 at Taree;

Far Out (NZ), on 17/05/2014 at Kembla Grange;

Testarhythm, on 17/05/2014 at Scone;

Off The Bench (NZ), on 18/05/2014 at Port Macquarie;

Date With Fate, on 19/05/2014 at Tamworth;

Forward March, on 19/05/2014 at Tamworth; and

Little Patrick, on 20/05/2014 at Cessnock.

Mr Smith was interviewed by Stewards on the 29th May 2014 at the Offices of Racing NSW and his Williamtown stables were visited on the 30th May 2014, whereby an embargo was placed on all horses that were trained by him at the time.

Samples were also taken on the 30th May 2014 from a number of horses in Mr Smith’s stables and clearing samples were subsequently taken from a number of horses transferred to other licensed trainers prior to their continuing race programs.

Stewards have notified Mr Smith of the analyst’s findings and an inquiry date will shortly be announced.

The Stewards also have to hand certification from two official racing laboratories certifying the concentration of cobalt in stored samples taken from the racehorse Alma’s Fury at Warwick Farm on the 23rd February 2013, when that gelding won the Apollo Stakes and on the 13th April 2013, when that gelding finished second in the Doncaster Prelude at Royal Randwick.

Stewards visited the Kembla Grange stables of trainer Mr Paul Murray on the 17th June 2014 and Mr Murray was interviewed in the Kembla Grange Stewards room on that day. An injectable bottle of an unknown fluid was confiscated and sent for analysis.

The results of the analysis of the contents of the injectable bottle have been presented to Mr Murray and he has been advised that he will be required to attend a Stewards inquiry at a time and date to be set.

Analysis of stored (frozen) samples held by the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory for the full range of prohibited substances will continue in accordance with Racing NSW policy.