Anthony Knott – banned
Anthony Knott, the colourful dairy farmer who enjoyed plenty of success as the owner of Hunt Ball, has been warned off for three years by the BHA after being found guilty of supplying inside information.
Knott was found guilty last month by the BHA, and he, along with non-licensed individual Andrew Callow, have been excluded for three years with immediate effect.
The charges relate to Theroadtogorey’s performance in three races, but specifically at Uttoxeter on July 18, 2012. Knott, who owned the then six-year-old told Callow a good run was not expected as the horse had bled on his previous start a week before and not trained properly since.
Armed with this information, Callow had bets matched on the exchanges, with other punters unaware of the condition of the horse who was sent off at 9-2, but finished eighth of nine runners, beaten 94 lengths.
Callow made £6,155 through the corrupt practice, and Knott also received a benefit for supplying the information.
It was not the first time Knott and Callow had colluded, with Callow’s betting history revealing he had placed several large bets on Hunt Ball to win. However the disciplinary panel had no issue with this as Knott was considered to be incentivising Callow to bet, rather than backing a horse to lose and not be placed, as was the case with Theroadtogorey.
Under the rules of racing the breach of Rule(A)41 carries a penalty range from six months to ten years, with an entry point of three years.
While Callow did not make any submissions to contest the penalty, Knott lodged several, chief of which was the incident only occurred the once. However the panel disagreed, citing: “that the mischief executed in the third race on 18 July 2012 to be deserving of an entry point penalty.”
Knott’s submissions also included his efforts to raise money for racing through fund raising, which the panel considered to be to his credit, though it was done in controversial circumstances.
At the Cheltenham Festival in 2013 Hunt Ball was emblazoned with the Paddy Power logo on his hind quarters prior to running in the Byrne Group Plate.
Riding tandem – Knott gets on Hunt Ball’s back in 2012
Although the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance was given £10,000 by the bookmaker, the publicity stunt did not go down well with the BHA, with Knott and trainer Keiran Burke fined.
In 2012 Knott was fined £100 by stewards at Wincanton after he jumped aboard his horse when it was being led into the winner’s enclosure.
Knott joined jockey Nick Scholfield on seven-year-old Hunt Ball, who won the 2m5f handicap.
The impromptu mounting caused amusement around the enclosure but the stewards were not impressed by Knott’s actions and he was slapped with a £100 fine for improper conduct.
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