Tag Archive for: suspension

‘Very disappointed’ Hanlon to appeal 10-month ban

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King George-winning trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon said he was “very disappointed” and intends to appeal against a 10-month ban imposed by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s referrals committee.

Hanlon, who handles last year’s Kempton hero Hewick, was found to have acted in a manner that “caused significant prejudice to the integrity, proper conduct and good reputation of the sport of racing” in the removal of a dead horse from his yard earlier this year.

The horse was carried on an open trailer which was towed by Hanlon’s branded horsebox, with the body left on display to the public after a tarpaulin became displaced during the journey.

A member of the public videoed the incident and it was widely circulated on social media, which attracted further media attention and led to the IHRB bringing charges against Hanlon, saying the conduct “attracted significant public opprobrium and adverse comment” both for the trainer personally and racing in general.

King George winner Hewick is Shark Hanlon's stable star
King George winner Hewick is Shark Hanlon’s stable star (Steven Paston/PA)

Hanlon told the PA news agency: “There is going to be an appeal put in straight away, that is one thing, and I can’t say too much at this stage as my legal team have advised me not to say too much.

“But we are very surprised and very disappointed with the results of the hearing.”

The referrals committee heard the case on August 30 and were satisfied Hanlon had breached rule 272(i) in that he was “grossly negligent in the supervision of the transport of the horse carcass on the day in question” and there was “high culpability” on his part.

They said inadequate measures had been taken to secure the tarpaulin before the journey began and “the importance of proper respect for the deceased animal ought to have been well-known to all trainers, including Mr Hanlon”.

The committee found that the consequences of the trainer’s “incompetence were significant and avoidable” and that a 10-month withdrawal of his licence and a €2,000 fine were merited.

However, following admissions from Hanlon on the morning of the hearing “regarding his conduct and the consequences thereof”, plus an unannounced inspection of his yard that showed no welfare issues and no relevant previous rule breaches, they left the door open to later halving his suspension.

The ruling stated: “The committee is disposed to consider a future application to conditionally suspend the last five months of the 10-month withdrawal sanction. The possible partial suspension of such a sanction to reflect mitigating factors is consistent with the previous approach of this committee.”

Hanlon must adhere to certain provisions during the initial period of suspension, including not knowingly participating in any training-related activities or gallops and not issuing instructions to any jockey or other trainer.

He is also prohibited from entering any weighing room, parade ring or any other area of a racecourse restricted to licensees of the IHRB.

Sean Bowen handed 18-day ban for whip breaches

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Leading jump jockey Sean Bowen has received an 18-day ban, with six days deferred for two months, for misuse of the whip after a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel hearing.

The pivotal incident in question was his ride aboard Mackelduff in a Wetherby handicap chase on January 14, where he was deemed to have struck the horse without giving him time to respond approaching the last fence.

The offence warranted a suspension ranging from two to six days, but as the penalty would have been Bowen’s fifth within the prior six months, he was referred to the panel.

The panel dismissed Bowen’s claim that his whip use aboard Mackelduff was corrective, agreeing upon a suspension of two days, but the overarching matter was the longer-term penalty for successive breaches of the whip rules.

Three of Bowen’s previous suspensions were incurred because he was not striking the horse on the correct part of the hindquarters, an issue that had arisen because the rider was attempting to learn the backhand technique when using the whip.

Noble Yeats and Sean Bowen winning the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree Racecourse – Saturday December 3rd
Noble Yeats and Sean Bowen winning the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree (Nigel French/PA)

The BHA had proposed to outlaw using the whip in the forehand position under revised rules – which have subsequently been amended to scrap that directive – prompting Bowen to try the method, although the rider’s solicitor Rory Mac Neice said his physical stature made the use of the backhand difficult, resulting in him striking the wrong area of the horse.

The panel included Alison Royston and Jodie Mogford and James O’Mahoney, the latter of whom was the chair and said whilst delivering the penalty: “Mr Bowen is a busy rider, his use of whip is in fact sparing with long periods without infringements.

“Regard has been given to his previous offences, described as technical offences, and the coaching that he has had to, in simple terms, change the golf swing in the context of the state of play regarding the rules as to use of the whip.

“We do accept the argument about his comparatively small size compared to other jockeys in the context of the use of the whip in the backhand.

Bowen at Leicester
Bowen at Leicester (Mike Egerton/PA)

“Our conclusion, taking into account all of those matters, and the matrix to which I have referred, is one of 18 days of suspension of licence.

“One third of that period of suspension will be deferred for a period of two months.”

Bowen is also required to attend a jockey coaching session with Richard Perham during his suspension, owing to the fact that his breaches in the main were deemed ‘technical’ and it was therefore considered that work on his technique would be beneficial.