Towcester chief executive Kevin Ackerman loses corruption ban appeal
Wednesday 6 January 2016 16:46, UK
Towcester racecourse chief executive Kevin Ackerman has failed to overturn a six-month suspension from racing.
A British Horseracing Authority appeal panel on Wednesday upheld the punishment which was meted out in October, when Ackerman was found guilty at a disciplinary hearing of committing corrupt or fraudulent practices.
Ackerman was banned for his role in an investigation into six races featuring Ad Vitam at Kempton and Wolverhampton between November 2, 2011 and March 8, 2012.
However, his fine of £5,000 was quashed upon appeal, at the invitation of the BHA.
Jockey Michael Stainton was banned for two years for his role in the Ad Vitam case and while his appeal was also today dismissed, a separate appeal against the penalty imposed "will be considered in due course", said the BHA.
Towcester chief Ackerman was found to have breached the rules of racing alongside registered owner Kenneth Mackay and former owner David M Greenwood.
Mackay was excluded for six months and fined £5,000, with Greenwood, who had already been warned off for a separate offence, banned for eight years. Both men were also unsuccessful in their appeals.
The disciplinary panel found Greenwood had given Stainton instructions to ride Ad Vitam for "handicapping reasons" in order "to reduce the horse's official rating to a mark at which David Greenwood judged it would be more competitive".
Greenwood was found to have communicated this information to Ackerman, who placed four lay bets, and Mackay, but no reward was involved.
Ackerman and Mackay were subsequently found in breach of one rule, while Greenwood was found to have broken four rules and Stainton three.
Neither Greenwood nor Stainton were found to have acted in breach of the rules for the purpose of a lay betting conspiracy.
A previous BHA investigation of Greenwood saw charges against him dropped in March.
Ackerman had been granted a stay of implementation in November, but his disqualification has been reactivated with immediate effect until June 11.
