Trainer Eddie Cawley considering appeal against 'very harsh' non-trier penalties

Trainer Eddie Cawley is considering an appeal against what he has described as "very harsh" penalties imposed by the race day stewards under the non-triers' rule at Punchestown on Wednesday.

Cawley, who trains in Batterstown, County Meath, was fined €3,000 and Fruits Of Glory banned from racing for 60 days after the nine-year-old finished a staying-on fifth, 34.5 lengths behind the winner, in a 2m5f beginners' chase.

Jockey Chris Timmons was banned for ten days and also picked up a two-day ban for not informing the officials before the inquiry that the horse had choked during the race.

Speaking on Thursday, Cawley said: "I'm thinking strongly of lodging an appeal as I thought the penalties were very harsh. Fruits Of Glory is a horse of very limited ability. He has raced 28 times and the only race he has won was a poor maiden hurdle at Clonmel [in February 2015].

"He makes a noise and has disappointed us so many times. When he comes off the bridle he stops. Wednesday's race was only his second over fences and he fell in his first chase.

"I accept that Chris probably gave the horse too much to do but he said he got the horse settled which isn't easy to do."

The sanctions were imposed under rule 212A (ii), which covers less clear-cut incidents in which a rider has not been seen to make maximum effort.

Members can read the latest exclusive interviews, news analysis and comment available from 6pm daily on racingpost.com