Banned trainer Peter Moody has said his intention is to walk away from racing at the end of his six-month suspension.
Moody has been at the centre of the long-running Lidari cobalt case, with other trainers also under a cobalt doping cloud.
Although Moody was cleared by the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board of deliberately administering illegal levels of cobalt to the horse, the Melbourne trainer was found guilty of unintentionally administering cobalt to Lidari for the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington in 2014.
Lidari, who came second in the race, was disqualified, while Moody was handed a 12-month suspension, half of which is suspended.
Moody, who is best known for training undefeated sprinter Black Caviar, had initially signalled his intent for David Brideoake, already in a leading position in the stable, to act as a caretaker trainer before returning to the industry at the end of his suspension. But after talking with his family about the decision, the 46-year-old instead decided to call it quits.
“It is with much regret and a heartfelt decision that I have to inform you that I am going to recant my suggestion on Friday of where I said I would be back training in 6 months,” Moody said in correspondence to his clients.
“After a lot of deliberation with my family and senior management staff, we didn’t feel it was going to be a viable or workable proposition to employ another trainer to care take the stable for the 6 month period of my suspension.
“RV worked with us at looking at putting it together, and it would have been possible but I just felt it was going to be very hard to make it workable and do the best by yourselves as the clients and more importantly by your horses.
“With this in mind I have made the ultimate decision that at this point in time I will not be returning to the training of racehorses in the foreseeable future.”
Moody had previously stated the long-running cobalt trial has been detrimental to his personal life and business. However he left the possibility of a return to racing open.
“On behalf of myself, my wife Sarah and my staff we wish you every success in your future racing endeavours and we certainly won’t be lost to the industry but unfortunately it won’t be as a trainer,” Moody said. “I will share the joys of racing with you as a part owner in a lot of the horses that we do race with you and hopefully we can have more success together.”
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