O'Brien awaits penalty after admitting BHA charges

Cape Blanco: aggravated a heel injury when winning the Dante in May

  PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)  O'Brien awaits penalty after admitting charges By David Carr 1:14PM 8 DEC 2010 AIDAN O'BRIEN is likely to discover next week what penalty he will face for 'acting in a manner prejudicial to the conduct of horseracing in GreatBritain.'

He admitted the charge, which relates to the running of Cape Blanco in the Totesport Dante Stakes at York last May, at a hearing before the BHA disciplinary panel hearing which ended on Wednesday.

O'Brien also admitted two charges of encouraging and/or causing his employee Pat Keating to refuse to comply with two instructions given by the stewards at York.

The trainer had been instructed that Cape Blanco, who had aggravated a heel injury in the race, should be trotted up before the BHA's veterinary officer and the senior racecourse veterinary surgeon and to attend a stewards' inquiry into the refusal to allowhim to be trotted up.

Keating also admitted to being twice in breach of Rule (B)83 regarding his failure to comply with the above instructions.

The panel is now considering the issue of penalty and drafting its reasons.  It is anticipated that a decision will be announced next week.

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