SYDNEY trainer and former leading jockey Kevin Moses has been disqualified for 12 months after one of his horses returned an elevated level of cobalt from a pre-race swab. Felix Bay retuned the averse finding at Hawkesbury on April 16th where he finished fifth in a 2,000-metre handicap.

“How, what, where and why has not been established and he has not been charged with administration,” said Racing New South Wales chief steward Ray Murrihy. “But a cobalt positive brings a certain amount of discredit to the industry.” Moses has the right of appeal.

Pateman takes Corrigan prize

LEADING jumps jockey Steven Pateman has held off a trio of Irishmen to win an eighth Tommy Corrigan Medal from the past nine years. The Tommy Corrigan Medal rewards the season’s most outstanding jumps rider and votes are lodged on a 2-1 basis by the officiating stewards at every Victorian and South Australian jumps meeting. Pateman scored 25 votes to hold off Martin Kelly (12), Johnny Allen (11) and Paddy Flood (11).

United States on Cup trail

THE former Aidan O’Brien-trained The United States, a Group 3 Enterprise Stakes winner at Leopardstown, won his first Australian start from his fourth attempt at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Spelled after each of his three previous starts, Saturday’s first-up effort yielded a win by a nose in the 1,500-metre Sweeney Handicap.

“We’ll just take him through his grades,” said Lloyd Williams’ son Nick. “He’s got a way to go to make it into the better grades of races so I’m sure he’ll be going through the handicap route towards hopefully a Caulfield Cup or something like that.”

Mongolian Khan top in NZ

THE Holy Roman Emperor colt Mongolian Khan has been named the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year, at that country’s annual industry awards.

A winner of seven of his nine starts the now four-year-old, trained by Murray Baker, landed the New Zealand Derby in February before crossing the Tasman to win the Australian Derby at Randwick, the first horse to complete the Derby double since the legendary Bonecrusher in 1986.

Mongolian Khan is presently on the fourth line of betting for the Emirates Melbourne Cup at $21 with nominations set to close on September 1st with weights issued on September 15th.