Grand National-winning rider fined for serious breach of racing's rules

“I did wrong,” was the response from a contrite Brendan Powell, the Grand National-winning jockey who was belatedly punished on Thursday for an offence he committed during his days as a trainer in Lambourn, when he misled an owner over a racehorse’s health. Powell, who rode the 1988 Aintree winner in his first career as a jockey, has since given up his trainer’s licence and gone to Ireland to work for Joseph O’Brien.

Full details of the case are to be published next week by the British Horseracing Authority but Powell admitted he was in breach of the rule against conduct prejudicial to the integrity, proper conduct or good reputation of the sport. However, he escaped a damaging ‘warning off’ order, the ruling body contenting itself with a £2,500 fine, though it also ruled Powell cannot apply for a trainer’s licence in Britain for the next 12 months.

“It’s over and done with now,” said Powell, who confirmed he had no complaints about the outcome. “I did wrong and I accept the penalty.”

The case dates from the final months of 2017 but news of it emerged only on Wednesday, when a BHA notice charged Powell with failing to notify an owner that their horse was injured, allowing surgery to be carried out on a horse without the owner’s knowledge and also making entries for a horse despite knowing it would be unfit to race. Powell declined to enlarge on the details of the case, saying the BHA would issue its reasons eventually.

An official pointed out that, while these charges are serious, they do not suggest that the welfare of the horse in question was ever compromised. Powell’s fault is said to be limited to the question of misleading an owner, whose complaint triggered the BHA investigation.

In normal circumstances, such a hearing would have been open to the press but, because of the lockdown, it was conducted in camera, in the form of a Zoom meeting with a one-man disciplinary panel. Another change caused by the coronavirus is that those punished by the BHA are being given additional time to pay fines; Powell has been given six months to do so.

Now 59, Powell quit training two years ago, citing financial pressures. “I’ve got 15 or so horses in, and it’s not enough to keep going,” he said at the time.

He is still best remembered for a remarkable piece of jockeyship in the 1988 Grand National aboard Rhyme ‘N’ Reason, who slithered badly on landing over Becher’s Brook on the first circuit and was briefly sitting on his bottom with his legs underneath him. Powell remained in the saddle and kept his cool, despite the lost ground and momentum, allowing his mount to work his way gradually into contention before staying on past Durham Edition close home.

source: theguardian.com