Stewards at Gowran Park fined trainer Charles Byrnes €6,000 and suspended apprentice jockey Gearoid Brouder for 21 days after arriving at the view that Ellatt had been prevented from running on his merits in the last race at Gowran Park on Wednesday.
Ellaat, who opened as the 2-1 favourite before being sent off the 3-1 jolly, finished fourth in the contest over a mile and six furlongs, four-and-three-quarter lengths behind 16-1 shot Sequoiaspirit.
Ellaat was suspended from competing for 90 days.
Speaking after a winner at Clonmel today, Byrnes expressed his disappointment with the verdict, saying: "I haven't made up my mind yet whether to appeal or not – I have three days to make the decision.
"I’m very disappointed with the decision to find me guilty as I clearly stated I wasn’t happy with the ride.
"The horse is valueless after it (suspended until August 8) as he is a summer horse. It is what it is, but I don’t know at the moment."
The IHRB stewards report stated: "Evidence was heard from the rider and trainer concerned. GP Brouder stated that his instructions were to settle his mount early, get it to relax as it had made a noise previously and to do his best from there. He said his mount settled well but made a noise at the first bend and this continued throughout the race. He said he tried to quicken the pace from about halfway so it would not turn into a sprint in the closing stages and that his mount hung right in the home straight, but despite this was ridden to the best of his ability.
"He concluded by stating that his mount was leg weary after the winning post and was dismounted and walked back in. He accepted that his mount took some time to pull up after the race and had continued galloping until after the mile start.
"When questioned why he did not pull up his mount during the race despite making such a noise, he stated that he was happy to continue because it had made a noise previously.
"C Byrnes confirmed the instructions given and referred to his charge's wind issues. He said he was disappointed with the ride given and referred to it as 'not pretty viewing' but when asked if he felt the rider should have pulled his charge up, he stated that the rider was correct not to pull the animal up and referred to it as being being 'only a low rated animal'.
"On further questioning, when asked if he felt the animal was prevented from running on its merits, he was satisfied that this had not occurred.
"The raceday stewards also received a report from the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board veterinary officer, who stated that Ellaat was coughing post race, but was otherwise post race normal. Samples were taken for analysis.
"Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the raceday stewards were satisfied that both trainer and rider were in breach of Rule 212A(i) in that both were involved in the running and/or riding of a horse in a race, who deliberately or recklessly causes or permitted a horse to run other than on its merits. Having taken their records in this regard into account, the raceday stewards fined C Byrnes, trainer, €6,000. They suspended GP Brouder for 21 racedays and ordered that he forfeit his riding fee. Furthermore, the raceday stewards suspended Ellaat for 90 days in accordance with the provisions of Rule 212C(d) and referred the betting pattern of Ellaat to a senior racing official for further investigation."
