NZTR BOARD APPROVES REDUCTION OF COBALT THRESHOLD TO TAKE EFFECT FROM 1 AUGUST 2016

The NZTR Board approved, at its meeting on 4 May 2016, reducing the current raceday threshold of 0.02 micrograms (= 200 nanograms) total cobalt per millilitre in urine to 100 nanograms in NZTR's Prohibited Substance Regulations. This will take effect on 1 August 2016.

While cobalt is an essential trace element that is present (5 percent by weight) in Vitamin B-12, normal Vitamin B-12 administrations do not produce high cobalt readings. Low concentrations of cobalt salts also are found in routine feed and vitamin/mineral supplements, but when used properly, those sources do not cause high cobalt readings. There never has been cobalt deficiency documented in the horse that would require cobalt administrations. When administered in high doses, cobalt is potentially performance enhancing and a proven horse welfare concern.

Since 2014, international racing regulatory efforts have been focused on establishing a raceday threshold for cobalt in horses.

An Australian cobalt study undertaken with funding from Australian and New Zealand racing conducted by Professor Brynn Hibbert (University of NSW) last year on Australian and New Zealand horses and updated on 29 February this year, titledElement Mass Concentration in Racing Horses stated: Using the best fit distribution, the probability of a regular horse exceeding the threshold of 200 ng/mL is nearly 1 in 8 million, and of exceeding the international threshold of 100 ng/mL is nearly 1 in 100 thousand....This statistical analysis indicates that the threshold could be reduced to the international level of 100ng/mL, while still maintaining a false positive probability that is essentially zero.

The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities has adopted a raceday threshold for cobalt of 0.01 micrograms (= 100 nanograms) total cobalt per millilitre in urine. This is set out in Article 6 – Prohibited Substances – of the International Agreement for Breeding, Racing and Wagering. New Zealand is a signatory to Article 6.

Thresholds are recommended by the Federation's Advisory Council on Equine Prohibited Substances and Practices, after consultation with the Association of Official Racing Chemists and the International Group of Specialist Racing Veterinarians, and approved by the IFHA Executive Council.

The IFHA's recommended threshold of 100 nanograms has been determined to permit the use of supplements that contain low levels of cobalt (such as Vitamin B12). However, as these supplements would not be considered normal feed and water, they must not be administered on raceday in accordance with the Rules of Racing.