Shark Hanlon has ten-month ban reduced on appeal

Shark Hanlon has had his ten-month ban handed to him for bringing racing into disrepute reduced to six on appeal.

Hanlon will now have his training licence suspended for a period of six months, starting from December 1, after an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) appeals body elected to reduce the original ten-month ban handed out last month by a referrals committee.

Last season's King George-winning trainer was handed the original ban and fined €2,000 for transporting a dead horse in an open trailer attached to one of his branded lorries, with the carcass fully visible to the public.

Shark Hanlon: argued that the ten-month sanction was "unduly harsh"Credit: Patrick McCann

The incident, which occurred in June, was filmed and subsequently widely shared on social media. The referrals committee labelled the trainer's conduct as "grossly negligent" and "injurious to the good reputation of the sport".

Hanlon appealed against the decision and put it to the appeals body that the referrals committee made an error in principle that his breach of Rule 272, which relates to conduct prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct or good reputation of horseracing, could not be met with the imposition of a financial penalty. The fine, however, was upheld.

He also argued that the ten-month sanction was "unduly harsh" and "failed to adequately take account of the differences between this and other similar cases dealing with post mortem equine events".

The body considered two previous cases involving Gordon Elliott and Rob James from March 2021, both of which resulted in 12-month suspensions. It referenced both cases, noting "the lack of respect demonstrated to the carcass of the deceased animal in each case was deliberate and wilful", while Hanlon's conduct was not.

In coming to the conclusion that a shorter sanction of six months should be imposed, it was noted that Hanlon's "negligence occurred in a single activity of relatively short duration" and the original ban may have been justified if there was "continuing acts of negligence".

The committee will consider a future application to conditionally suspend the final three months of the six-month ban provided Hanlon adheres to certain provisions, including not knowingly participating in any training-related activities or gallops and not issuing instructions to any jockey or other trainer.

Read these next:

'When you're selling horses here, it's a lonely day' - Shark Hanlon dispersal heads through the ring at Goffs UK 

Shark Hanlon 'hopeful' of getting licence back after fellow trainer Edward O'Grady fights his corner at appeal 

Shark Hanlon 'surprised and disappointed' at ten-month suspension over transport of dead horse in open trailer 

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