Well-known owner and gambler Harry Findlay has been warned off for six months in connection with laying one of his own horses.
Leading owner 'warned-off' for laying his own horse
Well-known owner and gambler Harry Findlay has been warned off for six months in connection with laying his own horse, Gullible Gordon, on two occasions.
The joint-owner of former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Denman was found guilty following an investigation by the British Horseracing Authority disciplinary panel.
Horses registered in his mother's name, Margaret Findlay, are also unable to race while she remains owner or part owner during her son's disqualification period.
Findlay was quick to admit he only had himself to blame for transgressing the rules, saying he was 'certainly wrong' to lay the horse in question, despite having already backed it to win a larger amount.
The first charge made against Findlay revolves around the seven-year-old's participation in a race at Exeter on October 21, 2008.
No motive
If Gullible Gordon, who finished sixth, had won, the profit would have been £23,755.60. The loss was therefore £62,321.26.
The second charge related to a race at Chepstow on October 10, 2009.
If Gullible Gordon had been defeated, the loss would have been £31,966.33. He won the race, so the profit was £35,245.30.
The BHA accepts there was no corrupt motive behind Findlay's actions but insists he is technically in breach of the rules which must be enforced.
"The first race at Exeter I made a technical error and pressed the wrong button," Findlay told
At The Races.
"The second one we had a big bet before the race and as a gambler I called my friend Glenn (Gill) from Chepstow and had a big bet on Gullible Gordon and he had a bit more on and laid it in running.
"He's a front-runner and a bit of a character. We were certainly wrong to do so.
"When the BHA top-class investigators came down we had a bit of a joke about it.
Integrity
"At the time we saw nothing wrong with it and the investigators totally agreed with that and passed on what they thought was the right thing.
"It was myself who went to the BHA and said these horses are actually owned by my mother and to all intents and purposes for gambling they are my own.
"I said they were quite welcome to use my account, I gave them my password to check my bets everyday and I said if I could help them on any integrity issues, please feel free to ring.
"I did not check the rules and the serious trouble I was in was my own fault and I certainly don't blame the panel."
Findlay added that the horses he and his mother currently have in training on the Flat are likely to be transferred to different ownership for the duration of the ban.
"They are trying to arrange the horses we've got with Michael Channon can run in his (Channon's) colours and my mum is still allowed to go racing, though she won't have any owner's badges or anything," he said.
"She will be able to go racing but she won't. She's hurt by this. The other horses that me or my mother own will run, if we can arrange it in time, in the Sangster family colours."
