Stewards have received a report from Racing Analytical Services Limited confirming that a prohibited substance has been detected in a urine sample collected from the Freedman-trained Pearl de Vere.

The report relates to a pre-race urine sample taken from Pearl de Vere before running fourth at Geelong on June 28.

RASL reported that it had detected within the sample cobalt at a mass concentration of 111 micrograms per litre in urine.

The Racing Chemistry Laboratory reported that it had detected within the reserve portion of the sample cobalt at a concentration of 130 micrograms per litre in urine.

The expanded measurement uncertainty for cobalt determination at 100 micrograms per litre is 10 micrograms per litre at greater than 99.7 per cent confidence.

Racing Victoria says cobalt - an essential mineral nutrient which affects multiple body systems and is toxic at high dosages - is a prohibited substance in accordance with the rules of racing at a concentration in excess of 100 micrograms per litre in urine.

Stewards initially informed Freedman of the irregularity on August 3.

He was advised on Thursday that the findings had been confirmed and stewards were continuing their investigation.

When contacted by The Courier, Freedman said he would work closely with stewards to get to the bottom of the irregularity.