TWO small trainers must pay fines of €6,000 and €4,000 following Appeals Body hearings of non-trier cases.

Mark Fahey was fined €6,000 over the running and riding of Strong Roots, who finished ninth in a handicap hurdle at Limerick in November. Fahey appealed the decision on the basis that he had instructed jockey Gearoid Brouder to achieve the best possible placing. Brouder did not appeal against his 21-day suspension.

Fahey told the Appeals Body that, on reviewing the race video, he felt that Brouder “could have put a lot more effort” at a critical time and that this was “the complete losing of the race.” He did not believe the jockey has “deliberately stopped” the horse from winning.

Brouder told the Appeals Body he was not happy with the horse throughout the race. He said he could have been harder on her in the back straight but “didn’t want to be hard on her in case she didn’t get home.”

The Appeals Body (Susan Ahern, Justice Frank Clarke and Nick Wachman) felt there was “no reason provided” why Brouder’s ride fell so far short of the trainer’s instructions.

In dismissing the appeal, the Appeals Body said: “The culmination of the component parts of the race, where Mr Fahey’s horse had opportunities to perform better, led the Appeals Body to reasonably conclude ... that the horse was intentionally not run on its merits.”

In a separate hearing, the Appeals Body reduced a €6,000 fine for trainer Brian McMahon to €3,000. McMahon was fined over the running and riding of Longhouse Force who finished sixth in a Thurles novice hurdle in November.

Jockey Eoin Mahon also appealed against the 21-day ban given to him on the day and this was reduced to 12 days, while the 90-day ban for the horse was reduced to 42 days.