Irish trainer Shark Hanlon has had his licence suspended for 10 months and fined €2,000 after footage emerged of an uncovered dead horse being towed by one of his branded horseboxes vehicles.
The video showed the carcass being pulled through the village of Paulstown in County Kilkenny on June 14. Following the appearance of the video on social media, Hanlon was referred to a disciplinary committee of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board on August 30.
Hanlon, the Irish trainer who sent ‘£800 horse’ Hewick over to win last year’s King George VI Chase at Kempton, has seven days to appeal the decision. The Irishman also laid the foundations for Rachael Blackmore’s career as the most successful female jump jockey of all time by giving her her first opportunities.
The unidentified horse had died overnight in a paddock and Hanlon had been trying to get it to the knackery before closing time on Friday afternoon.
His horsebox ‘festooned’ in images such as ‘#TeamHewick’ making it clear it belonged to him, had set off from his yard with the carcass covered by a tarpaulin secured by bungee cord and concrete bricks. But by the time it reached Paulstown the tarpaulin had disappeared exposing the dead horse to public view. The seven second video, taken by a following driver, went viral and came to the attention of the media and consequently, two days later, the IHRB which launched an investigation.
Having attracted adverse comment towards racing and Hanlon, the trainer was charged with acting in a manner prejudicial to integrity, good reputation and proper conduct of the sport. The committee found Hanlon was grossly negligent in supervising the transport of the carcass.
The committee said that “the minimum requirement was that the carcass be transported securely, discreetly and invisibly, in deference to both the deceased animal and the sensitivities of members of the public.”
It also pointed out his ‘appreciation of these matters should have been sharpened’ as it came in the same week that the RTE Prime Time Investigation in horse welfare, in which he was mentioned in despatches, had been aired with great publicity. It described his incompetence in this matter to be ‘significant and avoidable’
In announcing the penalty, which also included a €2,000 fine, it added: “It is by now well-established that the time for a lenient or tolerant approach to the treatment of deceased horses is long gone. The details of this case required more than the imposition of a purely financial sanction. The deterrence of preventable carelessness and lax standards by licensed trainers in matters capable of affecting the public standing of the sport is essential.
“Licensees are participants in a sport which receives significant public funding, and must also be cognisant of the deep affection that many people have for horses. The public are therefore entitled to hold legitimate expectations and concerns as to the humane and respectful treatment of both live and dead sport horses, and the IHRB must respond appropriately to those expectations and concerns by the meaningful enforcement of reasonable standards of conduct by licensed participants in the sport.”
During his ban Hanlon, who was one of the stars of the first instalment of ‘ITV’s Champions; Full Gallop,’ will not be allowed to take part in any training related activities or issue jockeys or any other trainer with instructions either in races or in training. He is also banned from going to any part of the racecourse restricted to licence holders such as the parade ring or weighing room. If he adheres to these rules the committee would allow him to ask for the second five months of the ban to be suspended.
Hewick was pencilled in to go back to Far Hills for the American Grand National in October. He won the two mile, five furlong race worth $250,000 in 2022.
