DARRYL Hansen has vowed to take his fight against a nine-month ban even further if his appeal is rejected by the Racing Disciplinary Board.

BRAD DAVIDSON, Queensland's leading racing writer reports in the GOLD COAST BULLETIN that Hansen, the trainer of this year’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Le Chef, faced the Racing Disciplinary Board last week as he appeals against a nine-month ban courtesy of an elevated TCO2 reading being re corded by How Can I Help prior to finishing fifth in a race at Ipswich on August 14.

The RDB reserved their decision into the appeal and could deliver their verdict as soon as this week.

But Sunshine Coast-based Hansen yesterday vowed to continue the fight and take his case to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) if his appeal is rejected by the RDB.

Hansen, who has had four prior breaches to the same rule including a six-month penalty for a TCO2 positive, insists he shouldn’t have a case to answer for.

“I will go to QCAT (if my appeal is unsuccessful),” Hansen said yesterday.

“If they look at the racing rules and law I should be clear.

“I have a clear B-sample and it’s under the threshold.

“They are just looking at one sample and they need to be looking at both and the rules of racing say that they must look at both.”

Racing Queensland chose not to comment on the matter yesterday but the stewards report into the inquiry back in October stated stewards “were comfortable that the burden of proof required to sustain the charge issued could be satisfied”.

The stewards report also confirmed that “the reserve portion of the sample ... contained the same substance at an elevated level, however after taking into account the relevant measurement of uncertainty it was not in excess of the prescribed threshold”.

Hansen has been training on a stay of proceedings since being charged by stewards in October and is still preparing Le Chef for the $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) on January 9.

The three-year-old has been beaten by a combined 28 lengths in three starts since his triumph in the 2YO Classic in January but Hansen insists he can still play a part on Magic Millions day again next month.

“I was under pressure to get him to the two-year-old race and I got him there and now I’m under pressure to get him into the three-year-old race,” he said.

“He has had a few little hiccups ... but I’ll do my best and hopefully it all works out well on the day.”

Hansen also has Tibrogargan Miss heading towards the Magic Millions carnival.

The Group 2 placegetter returned with a comfortable victory in the three-year-old handicap (900m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

“She never trialled this time in and that was her barrier trial,” Hansen said.

“I thought I would give her a look at the Coast and we will try to find a race for her on Magic Millions day.”