Racing’s ruling body has denied undue delay in considering a licence application by Suzi Best, wife of Jim, whose licence to train was suspended at the end of a protracted and troubled non-trier case last year. The Guardian can reveal that Suzi Best’s application will now be considered at a hearing on 19 June, the very last day on which her husband is suspended.
Privately British Horseracing Authority officials insist this is nothing more than a coincidence and certainly does not amount to evidence of victimisation. They are prevented from offering any direct comment by the rules of racing, which insist that licensing proceedings are confidential and must not be discussed in public by either side.
Asked why it would take so long to consider a licence application that was made in the first half of December, a BHA spokesman confined himself to explaining the system in general terms rather than discussing Best’s case. “Generally the time required to determine a licence application can vary depending on a number of factors, including the amount of additional information required and how quickly that information is provided,” he said.
Approached for comment, Jim Best declined to discuss his wife’s application, saying he had no wish to antagonise the BHA further. He added that he had not been to the races in the past six months, even though there was nothing in his suspension to prevent him from going, because he was concerned that his presence might be viewed as inappropriate.
However, it was clearly the hope of the Best family, at the time of Suzi’s application, that she would be given a licence before her husband’s suspension ended and keep the business going at their stable near Lewes in Sussex. In a December interview with The Guardian Jim Best pointed to the concern shown by the BHA’s disciplinary panel for the future of staff employed at the yard. “I don’t think it was the chairman’s intention for [the business] to be totally finished,” he said.
The BHA’s decision to refer Suzi Best’s application to its licensing committee is in contrast to its handling of the jockey Paul John, who had already admitted stopping two horses when he applied to get his licence back a year ago. John claimed Best had told him to stop the horses and was the only BHA witness against Best in hearings in February and November last year, which resulted in a finding against Best, despite his denials. The BHA decided not to oppose John’s application, which was duly granted, prompting concern from licensing committee members.
The committee chairman, Richard Russell, sent an email to ask: “Why was Paul John not referred to us? The only reason I can even think of is that, until the Jim Best case has been retried, the BHA did not want Paul John going before the licensing committee or any of its other independent committees. Another of my committee made the comment: ‘I am sure nothing untoward has happened but it just savours a little bit of a done deal in a way that a decision by us cannot.’”
The disciplinary panel in Best’s case eventually ruled that the BHA had agreed to give John lenient treatment in exchange for giving evidence, something which the BHA had denied for months.
France’s Champion Hurdle fell to a British raider for the third year in a row on Sunday when L’Ami Serge bagged the £142,000 prize for Nicky Henderson. The Lambourn trainer said Daryl Jacob had delivered “one of the best rides you’ll ever see”, settling the horse at the rear and saving plenty of ground at each bend in an attempt to make his stamina last the three-mile trip.
L’Ami Serge’s appetite for a battle has not just been called into question but become the subject of mirth in the press room and on social media. Even so, stepping up in distance may have made a big difference, as this was his second success in three starts. Henderson, who also won the English Champion Hurdle in March with Buveur D’Air, said L’Ami Serge responds well to French obstacles but would probably be returned to English racing in the autumn.
Chris Cook’s tips for Monday
Ayr
2.00 Weellan 2.30 Paradise Cove 3.00 Rubis 3.30 Royal Shaheen
4.00 Dark Crystal 4.30 My Name Is Rio 5.00 Lady Natasha
Brighton
2.15 Hateya 2.45 Hamster Jam 3.15 Twaddle 3.45 Impressive Day
4.15 Zipedeedodah 4.45 Deeds Not Words (nap) 5.15 Funfair
Windsor
6.00 Prince Ahwahnee 6.30 Cobalty Isle 7.00 Blaze Of Hearts
7.30 Gibbs Hill 8.00 Dagonet 8.30 Malcolm The Pug 9.00 Beyond Beyond
Pontefract
6.40 Peace Prevails 7.10 Frederic 7.40 El Hombre
8.10 Special Relation 8.40 Le Laitier 9.10 Pearl Acclaim (nb)
