Tim Vaughan given six-month suspended ban and £1,000 fine following positive test

Tim Vaughan has been fined £1,000 and given a suspended six-month ban after a hearing of the independent judiciary panel, which also disqualified Bells Of Peterboro following a positive test for a banned substance, on Thursday.

Vaughan entered a plea agreement ahead of the hearing, which concerned an adverse analytical finding for TCA, a synthetic corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory and painkilling properties that is allowed in training but banned on racedays.

The hearing was conducted almost entirely in private session, with the press only admitted for the chair's verdict.

Bells Of Peterboro: disaqualified from a win at Chepstow in JanuaryCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Full written reasons will be given at a later date but the penalties of a six-month ban – which could be triggered in the event of a second adverse analytical finding within a period of 18 months – and a £1,000 fine fall within the range of a medium offence in relation to a category B substance.

The BHA's notes on penalties characterise a medium offence as one where a trainer has "no knowledge of administration but significant failings at the yard, or panel is satisfied of an acceptable explanation for a significant therapeutic administration error".

Vaughan expressed disappointment at the length of the licence withdrawal period of six months, should it be triggered by a subsequent adverse analytical finding, although said he was relieved that he would be able to carry on training.

Panel chair Tim Grey underlined that, in line with Vaughan's initial plea, only another issue relating to a failed test would trigger consideration of a ban by a future panel, and not any other kind of disciplinary issue.

Read this next:

'Lifelong friend' not planning to train entire Tony Martin string during suspension 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.