WELL known Irish trainer Charles Byrnes and jockey Gearoid Brouder found themselves in hot water at Gowran Park on Wednesday.
Limerick-based Byrnes was fined €6,000 and his apprentice rider Brouder was banned for 21 race days after the stewards deemed they had prevented Ellaat from running on its merits in the closing race.
3-1 favourite Ellaat finished fourth in the closing 1m6f Handicap, beaten just under five lengths by the winner Sequoiaspirit.
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Following an inquiry the officials judged the pair to be 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".
Ellaat was banned from running for the next 90 days while Kerry jockey Brouder was also ordered to forfeit his riding fee and now faces a 21 day race day ban.
The betting pattern of the horse was also referred to a senior racing official for further investigation.
The IHRB stewards report read: "Evidence was heard from the rider and trainer concerned. Gearoid 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."
The report added: "Charles Byrnes confirmed the instructions given and referred to his charges 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 the rider was correct not to pull the animal up and referred to it as 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 race day 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)."
The raceday stewards also acknowledged the report from the IHRB veterinary office that Ellaat was coughing after the race, but were satisfied it had not inconvenienced him during the race at the time.
Cheltenham Festival winning trainer Byrnes infamously lost his licence for six months in 2021 over the high-profile nobbling case of Viking Hoard.
An IHRB referrals panel found him to be "seriously negligent" in relation to his supervision of Viking Hoard at Tramore in October 2018. The horse was doped by an unidentified third party while left unattended at Byrnes' stable at the racecourse.
Viking Hoard's urine sample showed he was 100 times over the international screening level for a sedative when he ran in a handicap hurdle at the County Waterford venue. He was pulled up by Kevin Brouder, a brother of Gearoid, after struggling in the race.
Byrnes denied any knowledge or involvement in the 'nobbling', and didn't believe he was in any way negligent.
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