Ronan McNally lost his appeal against a 12-year disqualification for violating the racing integrity laws.
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) released the decision of an appeals body panel led by Justice Peter Kelly on Wednesday night. The decision concerned the largest penalty the regulator had ever imposed.
Although any future violation of the rules by McNally will result in the activation of the full sentence, the panel did make one concession by suspending the final four years of the disqualification.
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The appeals body also suggested that there may be some flexibility in upcoming changes to the regulations that forbid the controversial Co. Armagh trainer from attending races.
When his son, a promising young rider, decided to pursue a career as a jockey. McNally, who holds a restricted license to train and owns a kitchen-fitting company, expressed shock at the idea of not being able to watch his son.
A disqualified person is also not permitted to work in a licensed yard, but Wednesday's ruling suggested that the disqualified person rule may soon change.
The new regulations will prevent a disqualified person entry “into a racecourse, stand or enclosure other than those areas to which the general public is permitted access.”
