Dual Foxhunters'-winning trainer Joe O'Shea given three-month suspended ban after making discriminatory comments towards racecourse staff

Dual Foxhunters’-winning trainer Joe O’Shea has been given a three-month ban, suspended for 12 months, and a £1,000 fine after a referral hearing into two breaches of the code of conduct for discriminatory comments towards three members of staff at Bangor.

O’Shea will also have to undertake training modules in diversity, equality and inclusion, and provide a written apology to the three people affected by his behaviour.

Before the hearing, O’Shea had accepted two breaches of Rule J19A around complying with the code of conduct, relating to treating others with respect and not discriminating against others on the basis of protected characteristics, including race.

It was claimed by the BHA that O’Shea described a member of staff, named only as ‘AB’ in the hearing due to anonymity restrictions, as “the girl from the jam jar” or words to that effect, and made reference to the brand Robertson’s. The comment was overheard by others at the meeting at Bangor on February 7 and reported.

The reference to Robertson's jam jars is problematic because for many decades the brand's jars featured the controversial "Golly" character.

The BHA, who were represented by Alice Scanlan, also claimed that O’Shea made separate discriminatory comments to Gareth Simpson, the head of racecourse operations, and Neil Farmer, the track’s senior security and loss prevention manager. In parting comments to the pair, the BHA claimed O’Shea referred to them as “white bastards”.

A statement from O’Shea was read out in the hearing by his friend Nigel Anderson.

It read in part: “I accept I’m in breach of the BHA’s code of conduct and I would like to stress that I in no way meant the comments to be of a racist nature in any way or form. Words have been taken out of context and others may have been said a bit in haste.

“I’m 50 per cent Maltese and my girlfriend is Chinese, so racism isn’t in my make-up or DNA. The charges are valid and I accept I said those things and I shouldn’t have – some said in the heat of the moment but not meant in any way maliciously.

“On reflection, perhaps there was too much old-fashioned bravado from me at the time, for which I apologise.”

Gracchus De Balme: won the Foxhunters' at AintreeCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

O’Shea had saddled Willewonga to finish second in the hunter chase on the card, earning qualification for the Foxhunters’ at Aintree, a race the stable went on to win with Gracchus De Balme in April.

In delivering the verdict, the independent disciplinary panel chair James O’Mahony said: “You say you love the game, Mr O’Shea, and you obviously do, but if you are to have any part in the sport, you must behave with respect for other people at all times.

“If Mr O’Shea offends in any way like this in the next period of 12 months, then the actual period of suspension of his registration will take effect, but if he pulls himself together and doesn’t behave like this, then that will not take effect and be suspended, so it is hanging over his head.”

Chester Race Company, the owner of Bangor, Chester and Musselburgh, had already taken its own action against O’Shea and banned him from its three racecourses for a year.

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