Inquiry hears stopping of Wainwright runner was 'very deliberate'

Former jockey Adam Carter was accused of carrying out "a very deliberate premeditated stop of a horse", which he claimed was on the instructions of trainer John Wainwright, at a BHA disciplinary inquiry on Monday.

Carter restrained the Wainwright-trained Blazeofenchantment into last place in a Southwell handicap in June 2014 and "makes no effort in the race at all", Louis Weston, the barrister representing the BHA, told the hearing.

During defence cross-examination it also emerged that the investigator in charge of the case suggested the BHA consider suspending the rider's licence because he was regarded as an integrity threat after he went on to commit four more offences in his next seven rides, two for careless riding and two for whip breaches.

This led BHA officer Stuart Williams to describe Carter as "a current threat to the integrity of the sport" and advise consideration be given to the suspension of his licence.

The correspondence was disclosed during the first day of a disciplinary inquiry into the running and riding of Blazeofenchantment over which Carter is charged with Malton trainer Wainwright and John Wright, who is not a registered or licensed person, of conspiring to commit a corrupt or fraudulent practice in agreeing to ensure the horse did not run on its merits.

Adam Carter: claims he was acting on instructions to stop the horseCredit: John Grossick

The horse finished seventh of nine in the Southwell race on his first start for the stable, for which he was sent off a 4-1 chance. Carter has claimed he did not ride the horse on its merits under instruction from Wainwright and Wright, who both deny the charges.

Also charged are stable employee Paul Bradley and Peter Bennett, who is also not registered or licensed, who are alleged to have been tipped off about the conspiracy by Carter and used the inside information to gain an advantage on the betting markets. Neither Bradley nor Bennett was present at Monday's hearing.

Robin Leach, the barrister representing Wainwright and Wright, asked Tim Miller, the investigator who took over the case after Williams left the regulator: "Why wasn't his licence suspended after admitting stopping the horse? It was quite clear Mr Williams was concerned about the integrity of the sport?"

'I just froze'

Miller said it would be a matter for the licensing department and he was unaware as to whether suspension of the licence was ever considered. Carter was not suspended and retained his licence until March 2016, when it expired.

Outlining the case to the three member independent panel, chaired by Tim Charlton QC, Weston alleged Carter, who had 457 career rides, told the Southwell stewards on the day: "I just froze."

Wainwright was critical of the ride afterwards, saying the jockey had not followed instructions and that he was "not really up to it" owing to personal issues. However, later, in a second interview, Carter changed his story, the inquiry was told. "This was not a case of a sleepy, inept ride, it was a very deliberate pre-meditated stop of a horse," Weston said.

Under the encouragement of his boss Bryan Smart, who provided a character reference, Carter handed over an unsigned and undated statement in which he claimed he had made a deliberate effort not to ride the horse on its merits based on instructions received from Wainwright and Wright.

Bryan Smart: Carter said the trainer persuaded him to tell the truth

Carter told investigators the case was "playing with my head all the time" and Smart had persuaded him to tell the truth.

The inquiry was told of a meeting at the offices of solicitor Rory Mac Neice after Carter had submitted his statement. Miller told Weston he was not aware of any incentive or reward being offered to Carter.

Earlier, the panel was told Bradley had accepted the charge against him but denied receiving any benefit, which the BHA does not accept. Bennett has told the BHA he has no case to answer but the BHA said there is a compelling case against him.

Weston produced a timeline showing a number of phone calls between Carter and Bradley, who then called Bennett, who placed a telephone bet and "bets in a way he has never bet before" on the day of the race.

Weston said Carter had kept quiet about the case until he moved back to work for Smart in July 2014, subsequently giving a second interview putting the blame on Wainwright and Wright.

"Much of the case turns on him," he said. "He is not my witness, he's a defendant".

Carter is due to give evidence on Tuesday.