24 Sep 2015 Disciplinary Panel - Other decisions

James Doyle

The Disciplinary Panel of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on Thursday 24 September 2015 held an enquiry to establish whether or not James Doyle, the rider of the winner EAST INDIES, had committed a breach of Schedule (B)6 Part 2 of the Rules of Racing concerning his use of the whip in the Learn English At isehove.com/EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes at Kempton on 21 September 2015. The matter was referred to the BHA by the Kempton Stewards following an enquiry on the same day because this was Doyle’s fifth offence of mis-use of the whip, warranting a suspension of between two to six days, in the last six months.

The BHA’s case was presented by Lyn Williams. Doyle’s was represented by Rory Mac Neice, who gave submissions to the Panel. The Panel also viewed recordings of the race.

The Panel accepted Doyle’s admission that he was guilty of misuse of the whip in that he had used his whip when clearly winning. It considered that the breach would have warranted a suspension of two days.

Taking into account that Doyle:

i) had committed five whip breaches (5 x 2 days), since 8 April 2015; and

ii) had had 517 rides over this period

it suspended him from riding for 14 days, of which four days will be deferred for two months until 12 December 2015. The suspension will run from Friday 2 October 2015 until Monday 12 October 2015 inclusive.

In deciding on the length of suspension the Panel noted that all the offences warranted two days suspension, the number of rides, the time period over which the whip offences occurred and that he had not been referred for his use of the whip previously.

 

Christmas Spirit

The Disciplinary Panel of the BHA held an enquiry on Thursday 24 September 2015 into a report that CHRISTMAS SPIRIT (IRE), trained by Seamus Durack, had been withdrawn from the 32Red Casino Maiden Stakes at Kempton Park on 19 August 2015 due to her behaviour which resulted in the filly being unable to be saddled for the race. The matter was referred to the BHA by the Kempton Park Stewards following their enquiry of the same day, because this was the third occasion CHRISTMAS SPIRIT (IRE) had been reported for behaviour in the previous month. On the first occasion the filly had dropped her jockey on the way to the start at Chepstow on 24 July 2015 and had unseated her rider in the chute and had to be walked in hand to the start at Windsor on 9 August 2015.

Having considered the evidence, including a verbal statement from Durack that the filly had been retired, the Panel declared that with immediate effect under Rule (F)66, no further entries would be accepted for CHRISTMAS SPIRIT (IRE) for all races run under the Rules of Racing.

 

Evan Williams

The Disciplinary Panel of the BHA held an enquiry on Thursday 24 September 2015 to consider whether or not Evan Williams, a licensed trainer, had committed a breach of Rule (A)31.1 of the Rules of Racing in that, having undertaken in the Agreement between himself and Lewis Gordon that accompanied his application for a conditional jockey’s licence, to ensure his attendance at any training course or seminar if one was held during the term of the licence, he failed to ensure Mr Gordon’s attendance at the Conditional Jockeys’ 7lb Claimer Seminar which was held at the British Racing School on 27 July 2015.

The Panel noted that Williams accepted that he had failed to remind Mr Gordon that he had a seminar to attend on 27 July 2015 and had in fact booked him to ride at Newton Abbot that day.

Taking this into account, the Panel found Williams to be in breach of Rule (A)31.1 and fined him £400.

 

Jeremy Scott

The Disciplinary Panel of the BHA held an enquiry on Thursday 24 September 2015 to consider whether or not Jeremy Scott, a licensed trainer, had committed a breach of Rule (A)31.1 of the Rules of Racing in that, having undertaken in the Agreement between himself and David Prichard that accompanied his application for a conditional jockey’s licence, to ensure his attendance at any training course or seminar if one was held during the term of the licence, he failed to ensure Mr Prichard’s attendance at the Conditional Jockeys’ 7lb Claimer Seminar which was held at the British Racing School on 27 July 2015.

The Panel noted that Scott accepted that as Mr Prichard was on holiday he had been unable to remind him to attend the seminar.

The Panel found Scott to be in breach of Rule (A)31.1 and fined him £250.

 

Various trainers

The Disciplinary Panel of the BHA on Thursday 24 September 2015 considered the ongoing record of breaches committed since 1 January 2015 by the trainers listed below in respect of their failure to ensure that the correct sponsorship was carried by horses or worn by employees on the racecourse. All the trainers had received three previous letters warning them that failure to comply with the sponsorship guidelines constituted a breach of the Rules of Racing.  Under Rule (A)39 the Panel imposed the following fines:

David Evans £150

Rae Guest £150

Richard Hannon £150

Neil Mulholland £150

Amanda Perrett £150

 

Alan Bailey

The Disciplinary Panel of the BHA held an enquiry on Thursday 24 September 2015 to consider whether or not Alan Bailey, a licensed trainer, had committed a breach of Rule (C)17 of the Rules of Racing, in respect of his failure to notify the Racing Calendar Office, by noon five days before the horse’s next run, that VIMY RIDGE had been gelded.

Having considered the evidence, the Panel found Bailey in breach of Rule (C)17 and fined him £100.

 

William Treacy

1. The Disciplinary Panel of the BHA held an enquiry on Thursday 24 September 2015 into the analysis of the urine ordered to be taken from FETHARD PLAYER (IRE), trained by Irish Licensed trainer William Treacy, by the Stewards at Aintree after the gelding had finished second in the One Stop Energy Handicap Hurdle on 11 April 2015. The sample tested positive for a prohibited substance, in breach of Rule (G)2.1 of the Rules of Racing. The Panel also considered whether or not to take action under Rule (A)74.2 of the Rules of Racing in respect of the possible disqualification of the gelding.

2. The urine taken from FETHARD PLAYER (IRE) was found to contain tramadol, which is a prohibited substance. The trainer did not exercise his right to have the ‘B’ sample analysed.

3. The Panel noted that at interview Mr Treacy recounted that he was on medication, called Zydol for arthritic pain, the active ingredient in Zydol is tramadol. Mr Treacy stated that he took Zydol first thing in the morning and then he would attend his stable yard whereby the first thing that he would do was to give FETHARD PLAYER (IRE) an apple. Also, due to the effect that the drug had on him, he would sometimes urinate on the straw in FETHARD PLAYER (IRE)’s stable.

4. After considering the evidence, and in the absence of any other explanation, the Panel formed the opinion that the source of the tramadal was as a result of cross-contamination from Mr Treacy’s prescribed medication.

5. The Panel accepted an admission from Mr Treacy that he was in breach of Rule (G)2.1 and imposed a fine of £1,000.

6. Under Rule (A)74.2 the Panel disqualified FETHARD PLAYER (IRE) from the race placing THE GAME CHANGER (IRE) second, BALTIMORE ROCK (IRE) third, QUEEN ALPHABET (IRE) fourth, RUACANA fifth, BOX OFFICE (FR) sixth, CHIEFTAIN’S CHOICE (IRE) seventh and FORCED FAMILY FUN eigth.

 

Notes to editors: 

1. The Panel for the enquiries was: Lucinda Cavendish (Chair), Celina Carter, Jeremy Barlow.