Results of enquiries (P Cooley & J Best, M Brittain) heard by the Disciplinary Panel on Thursday 5 February
Paul Cooley & Jim Best
The Disciplinary Panel of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on Thursday 5 February 2015 held an enquiry to consider an objection under Rule (A)74.2 of the Rules of Racing to SAINT HELENA (IRE), ridden by Paul Cooley, an Apprentice jockey, placed third in the coral.co.uk Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Handicap Stakes at Lingfield on 16 January 2015, on the grounds that the Apprentice Jockey’s licence issued to Cooley by BHA was restricted to his ‘riding in races open to Apprentice Jockeys only’ and he was therefore not qualified to ride in this race.
The Panel also considered whether or not
a) Cooley was in breach of Rule (A)15.1 in respect of him riding in the race when not holding a valid jockey’s licence; and
b) Jim Best, the trainer of SAINT HELENA (IRE), was in breach of Rule (A)37 in that as Cooley’s employer and the joint-signaturee to his Application for an Apprentice Jockey’s licence, Best was fully aware of the restriction written into the granting of Cooley’s licence and by declaring him and allowing him to ride SAINT HELENA (IRE) he assisted, encouraged or caused Cooley’s breach of Rule (A)15.1.
Having considered the evidence, the Panelaccepted an admission from Cooley that he was in breach of Rule (A)15.1 and fined him £100. The Panel also accepted an admission from Best that he was in breach of Rule (A)37 and, noting that Best acknowledged that he took overall responsibility for failing to read the correspondence from the Licensing Department properly and was entirely at fault for declaring Cooley to ride, fined him £600. Under Rule (A)74.2 it disqualified SAINT HELENA (IRE) from the race placing SIXTIES LOVE third, APACHE GLORY (USA) fourth, TIN PAN ALLEY fifth and ROSIE PROSPECTS sixth.
Mel Brittain
The Disciplinary Panel of the BHA held an enquiry on Thursday 5 February 2015 into a report that LEES ANTHEM, trained by Mel Brittain, had refused to go down to the start at Southwell on 2 January 2015. The matter was referred to the BHA by the Southwell Stewards following their enquiry of the same day, because this was the gelding’s first start since the Disciplinary Panel hearing on 1 September 2014 where it considered the gelding’s previous behaviour and restricted entries on the gelding for four months.
The Panel noted that the gelding was now in training with Colin Teague who had trained LEES ANTHEM until September 2012. Teague had requested that the gelding be given another opportunity and had stated that he would take the gelding on a number of occasions to a racecourse to ensure that the gelding went down to the start. However, if LEES ANTHEM was still reluctant to go on to the racecourse he would retire the gelding.
Having considered the evidence, including correspondence from Brittain and Teague, the Panel decided that with immediate effect under Rule (F)66, no further entries would be accepted for LEES ANTHEM for three months until 5 May 2015. However, the Panel also directed that if LEES ANTHEM is reported for unruly behaviour in the future the matter should be referred back to the BHA.
Notes to editors:
1. The Panel for the enquiries was: Lucinda Cavendish (Chair), Didi Powles, Roger Bellamy.
