Racing: Anthony Knott disqualified for passing on inside information
Thursday 18 December 2014 17:04, UK
Anthony Knott, former owner of 2012 Cheltenham Festival winner Hunt Ball, was disqualified for three years on Thursday after he was found guilty of passing on inside information.
A disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority found in November that he assisted, encouraged or caused one or more others to act in contravention of the rule regarding the passing on of inside information relating to his horse Theroadtogorey in one of three races.
Andrew Callow, a non-licensed and non-registered person, was found guilty of committing a corrupt or fraudulent practice, namely the use of inside information about the likely performance of Theroadtogorey for betting purposes. He was excluded from racing for three years.
Callow is alleged to have benefited from inside information not known to the public when laying Theroadtogorey in a two-mile novices' hurdle at Uttoxeter in July, 2012.
Callow won #6,155 when Theroadtogorey finished a tailed-off eighth of the nine runners.
A disciplinary panel concluded in November that Knott did not benefit from Callow laying Theroadtogorey, although he had passed on the information due to the pair's close relationship in the cattle trade.
A statement issued by the BHA on Thursday read: "The behaviour of Mr Knott and Mr Callow undermines the confidence punters should be able to enjoy backing horses.
"The fact that this corrupt behaviour only involved one race is not an ameliorating factor - no credit can be derived from it.
"If Mr Knott had been found to have repeatedly passed Inside Information to Mr Callow this would have been an aggravating feature which would have led the panel to increase the penalty significantly above the entry point.
"The panel consider the entry point to properly reflect the gravity of the behaviour."
