Trainer Jim Best, who earlier this week was handed a four-year ban by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), has been granted a stay of penalty pending an appeal hearing against his disqualification.
Best was found guilty of breaching the rules regarding the running and riding of two horses last December and of “conduct prejudicial to horseracing in Great Britain”. He will be allowed to continue to run his horses until the date of the appeal hearing.
Along with former conditional rider Paul John, Best attended a disciplinary hearing last month over the performances of Echo Brava (GB) (Proclamation {Ire}) at Plumpton on Dec. 14 and Missile Man (Ire) (Winged Love {Ire}) at Towcester three days later. John, who gave evidence that he had been instructed by the trainer to lie in a subsequent stewards' enquiry, was found guilty of two counts of failing to run a horse on its merits and was banned for a period of 150 days.
Adam Brickell, the BHA's director of integrity, legal and risk, said via a statement issued on Friday, “It is in everyone's interest that the appeal is heard as soon as possible and we are doing everything we can to make that happen.”
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