Racehorse trainers Lee and Shannon Hope want three urine samples to be re-examined with a high-tech new testing method as they fight lengthy bans for giving cobalt to horses.

Lee Hope was disqualified for three years and his son Shannon for five in November 2015 when they were found guilty of administering cobalt to affect the performance of three horses.

But they launched an appeal against the bans in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and the hearing began on Tuesday, with the men making an application to re-test samples with a new technique that can identify “organic” and “non-organic” cobalt.

Credit: AAP