Anthony Knott, a racehorse owner whose colourful antics turned him into a minor celebrity within the sport, is almost certain to be warned off after being found guilty of passing information to a gambler about one of his horses. The verdict was issued on Tuesday by a disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority, which will now try to arrange a hearing to consider the appropriate penalty.
Knott’s longstanding friend Andrew Callow used a betting exchange to make a profit of £6,155 when Theroadtogorey finished eighth, beaten by more than 90 lengths, at Uttoxeter in July 2012, having started at odds of 9-2. The horse, who has subsequently proved hopeless, had shown some promise at Worcester the week before but, unknown to the betting public, had bled afterwards.
His trainer at the time, Keiran Burke, told the panel he was reluctant to run the horse so soon after such an episode, but that Knott had insisted. “Burke said the insistence of Mr Knott was unusual,” the panel recorded in its verdict, “and he reluctantly agreed to enter the gelding but, mindful of its welfare, he did not give the gelding its usual pre-race preparation. It was treated in the yard during that week with herbal remedies.”
Callow had laid Theroadtogorey before but the panel accepted there were obvious reasons, apparent to any gambler, for doing so on those previous occasions, when the horse’s odds were much bigger. The Uttoxeter race was different, in the panel’s view, because, despite the horse being much shorter in the betting, Callow bet against it with greater confidence, risking much more than he usually would.
There was no direct evidence of Knott receiving any payment from Callow but the panel felt there was “an overwhelming inference that Mr Knott must have received some benefit”. It also pointed to the fact that Callow works as an unpaid agent buying cattle for Knott as a reason why Knott would wish to provide him with valuable inside information.
Callow was found guilty of committing a corrupt or fraudulent practice and is also at risk of being banned from racing. Both men may yet appeal against the verdicts.
Knott first achieved fame in 2008 when, aged 44, he won an amateur riders race at Wincanton, his first success in the saddle after more than 20 years of trying. His celebrations began before the race had finished and he did so much arm-waving on the run-in that he appeared in danger of falling off. Three seasons later, Knott’s colours were carried by Hunt Ball for a miraculous year in which the horse, also trained by Burke, won seven races out of eight, climaxing in an eight-length success at the Cheltenham Festival.
Hunt Ball continues to race, having been sold to different owners last year.
The BHA may also find itself having to offer a ruling in the case of the seven jockeys banned for 10 days each at Sedgefield on Tuesday for continuing to race despite a yellow ‘stop’ flag being waved by a flagman on the inside of the track. The riders received plenty of sympathy as the flag was flown in error; it was supposed to be black and white, indicating that the next fence was to be missed, as the jockeys were already aware.
“What a joke,” tweeted Harry Challoner, one of the jockeys involved. “Yet again someone elses mistake yet Owners, Trainers and Jockeys are punished the most!!!” A spokesman for the Professional Jockeys Association said an appeal was being considered.
An appeal is definitely being pursued by Philip Fenton, the Irish trainer who was banned from the sport for three years on Saturday, following a criminal conviction for steroid possession. Fenton lodged an appeal yesterday against the severity of the ban.
Wednesday will see two significant returns to the track in Britain. Tony McCoy will take a single ride at Fontwell after a fortnight spent recovering from chest injuries, while the trainer Donald McCain sends Dunowen Point to Wetherby, his first runner after an 11-day break prompted by some disappointing efforts by his horses.
The Grand National-winning jockey Ryan Mania has announced his surprise retirement from the saddle. The Scot came to prominence when winning the Aintree race in 2013 on the Sue Smith-trained Auroras Encore, landing the prize at odds of 66-1.
Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Mania, 25, who had taken a previous sabbatical in 2011, revealed an ongoing battle with his weight as the main reason for his decision to finish. He said: “I’ve been thinking about this since the summer and I always thought that it was going to be my last season. Of course I am sad that I am stopping, but it has been at the back of my mind for some time. I thought I’d be able to carry on until Christmas, but my mind is made up.”
Lady Herries, trainer of Celtic Swing and Sheriff’s Star, has died, aged 76. Based at Angmering Park, in West Sussex, Lady Herries was renowned as a fine judge of equine talent and was married to the late England cricket star Colin Cowdrey, who died in 2000.
Owned by Peter Savill, Celtic Swing was a devastating winner of the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in 1994, slamming Annus Mirabilis by 12 lengths in what remains one of the great performances by a two-year-old.
On just his second start as a youngster he was eight lengths too good for Singspiel at Ascot. He went on to be beaten a head by Pennekamp in the 2,000 Guineas the following season before winning the French Derby, running at Chantilly in preference to Epsom.
