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Aidan O’Brien and one of his staff have been charged by the BHA over the incident involving Cape Blanco after the Dante. The following is an extract from the BHA statement.
Aidan O’Brien has been charged with breaches of Rule (A)37 and (B)83, in that he encouraged and/or caused Pat Keating to refuse to comply with two instructions given by the Stewards at York. The first was an instruction that CAPE BLANCO (IRE) be trotted up before the BHA’s Veterinary Officer and the Senior Racecourse Veterinary Surgeon as part of their examination of the colt prior to the colt leaving York racecourse. The second was an instruction to attend a Stewards’ Enquiry into the refusal to allow CAPE BLANCO (IRE) to be trotted up before the BHA’s Veterinary Officer and the Racecourse Veterinary Surgeon.
Aidan O’Brien is also charged with a breach of Rule (A)30.1 (acting in a manner prejudicial to the conduct and/or good reputation of horseracing in Great Britain) in light of the above.
Pat Keating is charged with two breaches of Rule (B)83 regarding his failure to comply with the above instructions.
No, not good. O’Brien was content with the horse and there was no reason for the horse to be trotted up again as far as I’m concerned.
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How is self regulation good for any industry? They were ordered to comply with a request from stewards and refused. That’s just arrogance.
Think BP!!!
Yes but apparently Cape Blanco had been iced and bandaged beforehand. While in most circumstances I would agree that he should have complied with the stewards, I don’t think so this time. What I’d like to know is why they decided they wanted the horse trotted up again
That would be my question, did they give a reason for the horse to be trotted up again?
I suspect we are not getting the full story here, hopefuly a reason for the request is given then it might be slightly easier to judge.
I can’t be bothered to scroll through the BHA rulebook yet again, so what’s the punishment if they are found guilty? £100 fine each?!
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Aidan O’Brien is also charged with a breach of Rule (A)30.1
(acting in a manner prejudicial to the conduct and/or good reputation of horseracing in Great Britain)
in light of the above.
I’m pretty sure that stretches a long way clear of a one hundred quid fine.
Can anyone name any other sport where a competitor can ignore instructions from the officials or blatantly flout rules of the sport.
I can think of one other, can you?
Jose – just because he’s been charged doesn’t mean he has to be hung, drawn and quartered! You wouldn’t expect to get ten years for parking on a double yellow would you?
I’m not sure what your point is? Presumably that you don’t think the punishment is harsh enough.
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(A)30 seems to deal with conduct while (A)30.1 is a lesser "failure to comply" charge.
One carries – £2,000 or Suspend / Withdraw / Disqualify
3 months – the other carries a £750 penalty.- Total Posts 17716
Whether or not O’Brien thought Cape Blanco was in a fit state to be trotted up is neither here nor there – he defied two direct requests from the stewards and should be punished accordingly.
That said, it’s a shame that the BHA seem content to concentrate their efforts on pursuing slaps on the wrist rather than investigating huge Folkestone drifters that go on to run like dogs.
Jose – just because he’s been charged doesn’t mean he has to be hung, drawn and quartered! You wouldn’t expect to get ten years for parking on a double yellow would you?
I’m not sure what your point is? Presumably that you don’t think the punishment is harsh enough.
I think a punishment of £150 for such a rule break of the B83 rule is almost a waste of everyone’s time, regardless of whether it’s Aidan O’Brien or any average trainer. Parking on a double yellow probably would cost you more in London these days than that fine.
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As a footnote to the Stewarding debate, I have to say that I was sad but not surprised to see Cape Blanco bomb out at Chantilly on Sunday. Given that he was clearly far from sound after the Dante, it was going to take a robust colt – mentally as much as physically – to give his all again after such a short break.
I don’t think we have all the facts on this incident and cannot really judge correctly what happened or who was in the wrong. I have heard that the vet who should have been there for the first trotting up was not present, another vet observed, so then this is the racecourse’s fault not Ballydoyle’s.
All I can say is that it makes no sense whatever to ask for the horse to trot up again when he is clearly thought to be injured, and has already trotted. I own horses, have had injured horses, and you would not want to jar them up without a VERY good cause. Especially when they have been iced and made ready to travel and have a long journey ahead of them.
Will be interesting to see what the investigation throws up.
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I agree with you Pinza. It’s why I dumped my antepost after the Dante as per my posting on the Derby thread. I didn’t see how the horse was going to be right for Epsom let alone a flight to France a day later.
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