 Henderson is a two-time champion National Hunt trainer |
Leading trainer Nicky Henderson has been fined a record £40,000 and will be unable to race horses for three months after being found guilty of doping. He was found to have breached the rules after Moonlit Path, which he trains for the Queen, failed a drugs test. Henderson, who insists he was not seeking to boost performance, is banned from running any of his horses from 11 July to 10 October but can appeal. The 58-year-old said he was "hugely relieved" the saga was over. A British Horseracing Authority panel, chaired by Tim Charlton QC, concluded that a total ban on Henderson was not warranted - but also that a fine was not enough.  | His reputation has been severely affected by this BBC racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght |
The panel's decision means Henderson can continue to employ his workforce and that owners can keep their horses with them if they wish. "Even though this seems a harsh sentence, we accept the findings and can now look forward again to the future and an exciting season ahead," he said. "As we are unable to have any runners for three months in our name, it is going to be all the more difficult to emulate last season's amazing results, but this will make us try even harder to do so." BBC Racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght said the verdict will create a huge stir in the racing fraternity. "Nicky Henderson has been training since July 1978, he is an absolute pillar of jump racing. He's been champion trainer, he trains for the Queen," he said. | 606: DEBATE |
"His reputation has been absolutely enormous but clearly, and he will feel this very much, his reputation has been severely affected by this." Last week, the National Hunt trainer was found guilty of administering the prohibited anti-bleeding drug tranexamic acid to Moonlit Path before she finished sixth in a race at Huntingdon in February. The Lambourn-based trainer had admitted three of the four charges he faced, but denied any wrongdoing in relation to the British Horseracing Authority's Rule 200, which governs administrating or attempting to administrate a positive substance. Henderson has always maintained the medication was used "in the interests of the horse's welfare" - and not to improve performance. "Although the medication should not have been administered, I can only reiterate, as the panel has accepted, that it was only given in the interest of the welfare of Moonlit Path herself," said Henderson. Moonlit Path was making her racecourse debut at Huntingdon and the five-year-old mare has since run three times. The race was won by another Henderson-trained horse, Ravello Bay. | He does not dope horses. Racing is harming itself unnecessarily |
The Queen's jumps racing adviser, Michael Oswald, said: "We are disappointed. We will obviously discuss it but have not yet had the chance to do so." In making its decision, the panel also took into account various factors, including the fact the substance was administered by an experienced vet whom Henderson considered to be an advisor - and also that the substance is unlikely to act as a performance enhancer. Henderson's contribution to the sport and his charitable activities were also taken into consideration. Henderson has twice been champion National Hunt trainer in a 31-year career and enjoyed a superb 2008-09 campaign. The Seven Barrows handler accrued over £2m in prize-money, and won the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with Punjabi. He also registered a Royal Ascot winner last month, when Caracciola landed the Queen Alexandra Stakes. Channel 4 betting expert John McCririck was critical of the severity of the punishment. "This is a disgraceful slur Henderson will never be able to live down for a man of honour and distinction," he said. "He does not dope horses. Racing is harming itself unnecessarily." Henderson's fine is twice that of the previous record penalty of £20,000 imposed on Michael Wigham in February 2008.
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