Racing:Irish trainer Eamon Tyrrell and jockey Jason Behan have been found guilty by a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel of not running Casela Park on its merits at Newcastle.
In a statement, the BHA have revealed the panel concluded Behan’s ride amounted to “deliberately preventing a horse from winning” the registersportpool.co.uk Handicap at the Gosforth Park track on August 4th.
The five-year-old, sent off at odds of 17-2, finished sixth off top weight of 9st 13lb, beaten two lengths.
He went on to run again two days later at Musselburgh, finishing fourth on that occasion. He has not raced since.
The panel’s summary of the case included: “The gelding was subjected to strong and persistent episodes of restraint in the last two and a half furlongs, and was manoeuvred several times away from gaps and back behind other runners.
“It was running on well in the last 50 yards (despite an absence of any driving or encouragement) and lost by just two lengths. But for its treatment by Behan, it would have won.
“That may seem a strong conclusion about a race in which it finished sixth, but the more the Panel viewed the recordings, the more it felt driven to this view.”
A decision on the punishment will be made once the panel have received representations on penalty from both parties.
Tyrrell and Behan could both be disqualified from racing for up to five years.