Sale of Shark Hanlon's string to proceed as appeal decision deferred

The dispersal of the majority of the horses trained by John 'Shark' Hanlon will go ahead after a decision on the trainer's appeal against the severity of his ten-month suspension was deferred, to be announced within 14 days.

Hanlon received his ban last month after a disciplinary panel held that he had been responsible for the inappropriate transportation of an equine carcass, a course of action that was determined to have damaged the reputation and public image of racing.

The original proceedings arose from a video that emerged on social media of Hanlon’s branded horse lorry pulling a trailer with a dead horse on it.

Hanlon, best known as the trainer of Hewick, the King George VI Chase, American Grand National and Galway Plate winner, argued that he was being punished for making a mistake.

He insisted that he had placed a tarpaulin over the dead horse but that it had blown away in transit and this was accepted in evidence in the original referral.

Speaking outside the offices of the IHRB, where today’s appeal was heard by a body headed by independent chairman Justice Peter Kelly, Hanlon expressed satisfaction with how events had unfolded but confirmed that 28 horses would be sold in Doncaster.

"After today, you’d be very hopeful," said Hanlon, who was accompanied by his partner Rachel O’Neill and solicitor John Whelan.

"I think we got a very, very fair hearing. We’re just going to have to wait for the outcome but I’m very happy with the hearing we got. That’s most important. They listened to everything we said.

"So we’re just hoping the decision goes our way now.

"The horses are going to England tomorrow. Today was the day we had to decide. There’s 28 horses going to Doncaster for 22 October. The owners are standing behind me