McKeown & Blockley

Absolutely, a horse can still run to its merit on unsuitable ground or at an inapprorpiate distance.

I'm not totally convinced there is n't something of a contradiction in McKeowns bleating in truth. On the one hand he's saying four years will knock him out of the game because he'll be 52. Well to be honest at about 52 he'd be pretty close to packing up anyway so in all likelihood would have to be looking alternative employment anyway, in which case it won't have destroyed his livelihood, but rather brought it to an end a bit sooner than he'd planned.

Having said that, for such time as a High Court appeal remains an option I suppose we better back off being quite so definitive in our judgement. I'm still a bit unsure as to how it gets to the High Court, but there's enough people saying it will (we'll see - I'm less than convinced).

Presumebly its a civil action as if there are implicit criminal aspects to the case, I'm struggling to believe that the BHA can try it beyond their juristiction of custodians of the sport. The burden of proof can't have been being 'beyond reasonable doubt' then? and must be balance of probabilities
 
I don't see how it gets to a proper court. My understanding is, as with Fallon's initial appeal against his ban, that as long as the BHA have followed their own process and rules correctly then the courts won't get involved.
 
Shocking that he was allowed to ride today. His behaviour after riding a winner was uncalled for too. I wish I'd been at Doncaster, I would have happily given him my opinion as he was lead in.
 
He was on atr this morning giving a very long 'exclusive' interview
He kept repeating that there was 'no evidence' and went into some detail on that...

If he gets off on a technicality due to the destruction of some of the video and Stewards' records, and was in fact guilty - as the admittedly sometimes circumstantial evidence indicates - it will be a pity
 
Blockley permitted to work as groom for Curtis


By Graham Green3.57PM 22 DEC 2008
PAUL BLOCKLEY, who was warned off for 30 months by the BHA in October, has been given permission to continue to work in racing while serving his ban.
However the BHA disciplinary panel has imposed stringent conditions on the former Lambourn trainer, and refused his application to be head groom for Roger Curtis who has expanded his operation by taking over the running of Hill House Stables.
Instead Blockley, who had already been given dispensation to keep his home at the yard because his family had nowhere else to live, will be a stable employee of Curtis whose previous Delamere House base is now a satellite yard.
Blockley was disqualified along with jockey Dean McKeown after being found guilty of being party to a conspiracy over the laying of 11 of his horses between March 2004 and December 2005.

Explaining why it was not prepared to allow the application in the form made by Blockley, the panel said: "An unspoken assumption underlying it was that the arrangement would enable Curtis to "babysit" Blockley's training operation and, perhaps, hand it back at the end of the disqualification period. This cannot be countenanced."
However the panel noted that Blockley is "now a somewhat chastened man", and accepted he was genuine in saying that he "wants to melt into the background".
It went on: "In these circumstances the panel was prepared to give a limited dispensation from the effects of the disqualification.
"But it is a limited relaxation which does not permit Blockley to go to the gallops at Lambourn or to any other premises licensed by the BHA, and which does not allow him to be head lad for Curtis.
"It is not appropriate for him to occupy a position where he has authority over others in racing, so the only employment he can take is as an ordinary stable employee for Curtis."
Blockley, who did not appeal against the ban and was prevented from speaking to the press before the panel ruled on his work application, has accepted the conditions, but did not want to comment about them following the hearing.
He said: "I have hada lot of support from family, friends and colleagues, for which I am very grateful, and I now just want to put the whole thing behind me and look forward to the future. Roger now has the yard licence and I do whatever he tells me."
Asked if he plans to return to training, Blockley replied: "We'll see, but I'm not getting any younger."
 
So basically, business as usual and Blockley carries on training his own horses. Like virtually every other warned off trainer has done before. Superb stuff.
 
Shadow Leader said:
So basically, business as usual and Blockley carries on training his own horses. Like virtually every other warned off trainer has done before. Superb stuff.
Click to expand...

Spot on Dom. The pr1cks that run racing obviously realise it's a case of there but for the grace of God ....
 
Although I'd prefer it if any involvement Paul Blockley has in racing is restricted to horses he hasn't previously trained, I'm not sure that the BHA aren't hamstrung by this scenario; suspending Blockley's licence is well within their jurisdiction but I imagine a move to ban him completely would be open to legal challenge. The real test is how the restrictions will be policed.
 
I wouldn't worry there'll be plenty of people queuing up to squeal on what hes up to in the yard. I think they are pretty tight regulations when you think that another trainer made a complete laughing stock of the HRA and continued to ride his horses over Newmarket Heath with his own identifiable exercise sheets on, blatantly training the horses, taking them racing, saddling them etc etc. Possibly this way, they are saying "Blockley - we will be watching you very, very closely!"
 
There's at least one other trainer who some on here will know about who knowingly shifted the blame for animal cruelty onto the stablestaff (he still holds a license in Newmarket I believe).
 
Can't wait for him to fight this in the High Court. Presume he's using some of his Betfair balance to fund the legal challenge!
 
In a manner of speaking, I don't begrudge people who get into racing thinking they can make an easy buck; after all the sport has a reputation for villainy since its inception. What I really object to is when such villains get exposed and don't say "it's a fair cop, guv!" like they should. McKeown is making an utter tit of himself and will be completely beyond redemption by the time this is over.
 
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