Cooper and Gagan face BHA charges

Ex-trainer Elliott Cooper and former jockey Steven Gagan have been called to face a British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel following an investigation into three races between August 2011 and January 2012.

The BHA looked into the runs of Quell The Storm at Cartmel in August 2011 and Kickahead at Musselburgh in January 2012, as well as Platinum at Fakenham the same month although that horse was declared a non-runner by vets shortly before the race.

The matter was referred to Cumbria police in July 2012, but no charges were brought by the police after its investigation and it was referred back to the BHA a year later.

Gagan, who has not ridden since January 2012, has been charged with conspiracy to commit a corrupt or fraudulent practice, communicating inside information for reward, intentionally failing to ensure that a horse was run on its merits, receiving part of the proceeds of laying a horse to lose and failing to supply mobile phone records.

Former jockey turned trainer Cooper faces charges of encouraging Gagan to fail to ensure a horse did not run on its merits, instructing unlicensed individual Stuart Trevaskis to lay a horse to lose a race on his behalf and receiving part of the proceeds from laying a horse to lose.

Trevaskis himself has also been charged a handful of offences, including conspiring to commit a corrupt or fraudulent practice and causing or encouraging Gagan and/or Cooper to fail to ensure that a horse was run on its merits.

The most serious offence, failing to ensure a horse runs on its merits, has an entry point of eight years disqualification from racing with a maximum penalty of 25 years.