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Congratulations to the BHA, this must have been a very difficult decision with such a high profile gambler and clouding the issue was a potential net profit on a back/lay bet.
The outcome in my view is both proportional and sends out the right message to owners, jockeys trainers et al.
Harry is bound to be a bit sensitive and irrational at the moment and I am sure that he will still be able to relish the publicity that racehorse ownership brings, once the shock and consternation wears off.
I think you are in the minority if you believe him! And, still begs the question of why was it not reported to Betfair before he was caught by the BHA?
I don’t like him, or dislike him, he is just nothing special as far as I am concerned, and therefore I do not see why he is given so much airplay and expects to be treated any different from anyone else in this instance.
Mr Findlay also told the Panel that a disqualification would be a catastrophe for him and also for racing because of the prominent public profile he enjoys. And he rightly pointed out that no suspicion can exist about the merits of the runs by GULLIBLE GORDON (IRE) in both races. The Panel recognises the seriousness for Mr Findlay of disqualification, but did not feel that his high profile could be seen as a reason for treating his breach of the Rules more gently than might otherwise be called for.
The above (italicised) is an extract from the BHA ruling.
Catastrophe for racing – or another step on the road to the clean-up?
- Total Posts 17716
Findlay’s explanation doesn’t appear to hold any water given his prominence, associations and betting experience, so is it the case that we’re simply not privy to the same amount of information as the BHA? Is there another, as yet unknown factor that warranted him being warned off for six months when similar situations have resulted in nothing more than a fine?
Without all the facts to hand, we can only work on what has been reported in the press. As such it would appear that the BHA have seen fit to make an example of Findlay, with his punishment not necessarily fitting the crime (whether or not the rules state that he could have been banned for longer, precedence would seem to suggest that he’s been hard done by).
But how effective is that punishment?
Betfair have already stated that they’re happy for Findlay to continue betting with them and I find it difficult to believe that either Mick Channon or the Sangster family will keep him out of the loop as regards the progress of his soon-to-be re-registered horses. So his horses will still be running, he’ll be kept up-to-date with their condition and he’ll have the usual betting facilities open to him.
All in all a fairly pointless exercise, don’t you think?
He certainly got harsher treatment than those in the Mickmackmagoole case who admitted their strategy of "knocking out" the horse before backing it- I’m not sure if the penalties in place were as severe then.
It does stretch credibility that he didn’t know the rules at this stage- more likely he thought he’d get away with it. The ban is harsh but the BHA had little option as if he had avoided such a punishment their new rules would completely lose credibility . I’d like a bit of evens he doesn’t pack in as an owner though when he calms down a bit.Harrys come across as a bit of a drama queen to me! His day to day betting patterns wont change one bit,his horses will all run as and when it suits him,just in different colours,so all in all nothings changed other than Harry gets a bit more media attention today than yesterday! "Come on, come on hurry up Harry come on,we"re goin down the pub!
I READ ALL OF THIS WITH INTEREST.
BOTTOM LINE HE WAS ‘NAUGHTY’.
NO ONE IS ABOVE RACING, AT LEAST THATS THE UTOPIAN VIEW.
DO THE CRIME, NOW DO THE TIME; SIMPLE.
- Total Posts 17716
Personally am delighted with this and well done to the BHA for enforcing the rules. At least measures like this go some way to restoring confidence in the sport and cleaning it up.
You can try and read this anyway you want but end of the day he broke the rules, the rules state owners cannot lay their own horses and he did, the rules do not have if,but,or any circumstance attached to them. They are very simple for all to see and he broke them.
As for him now saying he will no longer own horses in Britain, what does he think different rules should apply because of the amount of horses he owns? Utter rubbish.
Best peice of PR horse racing could get. It instills confidence in my view that the game is cleaning up its image rather than sweaping under the carpet.
For all sorts of PR reasons the BHA have no choice but to enforce a zero tolerance policy towards owners laying their own horses
regardless
of that owners net position at the end of the race.
Try explaining the nuances of betting exchange trading, hedging, profiting from the spread etc, to a potential newcomer who’s already been been told "their allowed to back them to get beat on the internet" and you know which end of the stick gets grasped. Result, punter goes to the football instead.
Should have been 18 months. Betfair a disgrace for continuing to take the blokes business.
Betfair a disgrace for continuing to take the blokes business.
I always thought that was one of the benefits of the exchanges,back a horse at 10/1 and lay it off at 2/1 if the market allows! There"s many small fry doing what Harry does daily who are in syndicates laying their horses to lose.The problem with Harry is he"s a big catch who the trawler men of the BHA are using as a scapegoat to try and reassure the public that they are competent Seamen! Some of us know they couldn"t sail across a puddle!
PhD Student wrote….I READ ALL OF THIS WITH INTEREST.
BOTTOM LINE HE WAS ‘NAUGHTY’.
NO ONE IS ABOVE RACING, AT LEAST THATS THE UTOPIAN VIEW.
DO THE CRIME, NOW DO THE TIME; SIMPLE.
Ph Student, is this the kind of intellectual gobbledygook that I pay my taxes for people like you to sit on your backsides in so-called Universities to study utter nonsense?
Please explain the third sentence; which Utopian came out with this statement? Name names, please. In fact, I’ve never heard of Utopian horse racing and I didn’t have to go to University to know that. Surely you should be taking a more philosophical view of Harry’s misdemeanor. The guy’s good to his mum and that’s the only yardstick the BHA should be concerned about. I bet she’s feeling very upset about her young ‘arry in all this bother.
KI feel sorry for Findlay as it happens.
But I don’t really see what choice the BHA has.Also, maybe this will shake some people of the idea that bookies are all corrupt & exchanges are the squeaky clean way of the future.
Armchair Jockey,
I think Karl Burke might advise any trainer planning to keep Harry up to date on the progress of ‘his’ horses to think again.
He got a substantial ban from training for passing information to a disqualified person.
AP
Sorry to disagree with you Anthonycutt, in that I don’t feel sorry for him one iota.
In fact if I was in charge of the disciplinary panel I’d insist that he had the offending ‘lay button’ finger cut off at the knuckle. That’d teach him.
I seem to recall someone on here suggesting only a few months ago that "Harry’s day in the sun was about to be eclipsed." Oh gosh, I think it was Ken(West Derby).
K………at the risk of seeming like I am batting an eyelid………..Please,please,please don’t anyone bat an eyelid at the threat of Harry Findlay threatening to quit racing because of his treatment by the BHA as reported on the Racing Post website tonight.
The Racing game is bigger than any individual and if anyone wants to cease playing I for one couldn’t care less. Furthermore, if there was any intention to break the clearly stated rules I say no loss and good riddance….go or stay but do it quietly and with good grace…………either way please don’t expect me to care………….
…….and the next one please.
The big worry now is that as Harry ‘The Lay’ Findlay will be spending less time on BHA premises and attending race meetings it’s very likely he will be spending his time ‘planning ahead’ and devising new strategies for the future. In fact I’d be very wary of betting with Betfair or anywhere else for the next six months because Harry might be on a recovery mission to restore his lost pride and you might be the next victim of his need to be ‘the man’. This guy is going nowhere, his ego will not allow himself to go out with a whimper. Think of him as a wounded lion, determined on revenge. Will it be your money that strays into his coffers?
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