Trainer Gordon Yorke has been suspended for four-and-a-half months following an exchange with fellow trainer Norm Loy.
Racing.com has reported that an incident involving the two trainers took place on July 31 in which Yorke approached Loy while he was trying to remove a horse from a horse-walker.
The exchange between the two trainers reportedly then became a full-on confrontation with Yorke holding the gate shut to stop Loy and the horse Funky Bella from exiting the walker.
Funky Bella became fractious during the argument, kicked out and was injured.
Yorke’s initial penalty was reduced from six months to the imposed four-and-a-half months on the basis of Yorke’s guilty plea and the fact that he cooperated with the steward’s investigation.
At this time, Loy himself is currently facing a three month ban for an unrelated cause.
That ban came after Racing NSW stewards brought charges against Loy and found him guilty under AR 228 (a) for conduct prejudicial to the interests of racing … the details of that being that Loy had made ‘highly inappropriate’ comments on social media attacking NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian.
Loy has said he will appeal the ban.
