Irish jumps trainer Paul Gilligan has been banned for six months for racing a horse at Uttoxeter after it had previously run at an unrecognised meeting in Ireland. The horse in question, Dubawi Phantom (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), was disqualified from the win at Uttoxeter. The penalty was handed down by a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel on Monday at a rehearing; Gilligan had received the same penalty in March, but that verdict was thrown out as the panel had included Matthew Lohn, who was later found to have previously undertaken paid work for the BHA, creating an appearance of bias. Lohn was also involved in the high profile Jim Best case that was reheard last week.
“He has been found in breach and he has been disqualified for six months. That is the same penalty he got first time round,” said BHA spokesman Robin Mounsey. “The written reasons will follow, probably in the new year.”
Gilligan was prevented from running Dubawi Phantom at the Galway festival of 2014 by Irish Turf Club stewards, who believed the horse was in fact Ayres Rock, a horse who ran at the Dingle festival the previous year. Dubawi Phantom had run and won at Uttoxeter prior to Galway, prompting the BHA to begin its own investigations. The BHA's veterinary officer, Nick Bowen, studied photographs and DVD recordings of the previous outings of both Dubawi Phantom and Ayres Rock and concluded it was the same horse, based largely on its idiosyncratic markings.
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