Mullins faces wait over Royal verdict
The horse was originally disqualified by the Jockey Club’s disciplinary panel at a two-day hearing in January after the horse failed a post-race drugs test for morphine.
A contaminated food supply was found to be the source of the drug and although Mullins was not fined, he was ordered to pay ÂŁ5,000 in legal costs and Be My Royal was stripped of his victory in the Newbury race.
Mullins announced his intention to challenge the decision immediately and the Appeal Board hearing began at Portman Square on Monday.
The board finished hearing the evidence earlier yesterday but John Maxse, director of public relations at the Jockey Club, doesn’t believe a result is imminent.
He said: “Following the conclusion of the presentations and evidence made on behalf of Willie Mullins and the Jockey Club, Sir Edward Cazalet, the independent chairman of the board, is going to reserve judgement until he has completed compiling full reasons for the board’s findings from the appeal.
“The hearing, which got underway yesterday morning, was completed around lunchtime today. The members of the board have since retired to deliberate. The outcome of their deliberations, together with the board’s reasons and findings, will be issued in the near future. It is unlikely the result will be issued this week.”
Mullins was disappointed with the original decision as the Jockey Club had introduced a new cut-off point of 15 nanograms per millilitre in March 2003 following the outbreak of morphine contamination.
The County Carlow handler contends that any concentration of up to 15 nanograms could have no effect upon the performance of a horse and he cites Jockey Club veterinary director Peter Webbon as backing that view. Mullins has already indicated that should this appeal be unsuccessful, he could take the matter to the courts.
