Maher banned over conman’s horse ownership

Trainer Ciaron Maher has been suspended for six months and fined $75,000 after conceding he should have known convicted conman Peter Foster owned five horses in his stable.

The Caulfield Cup-winning trainer did not know about Foster’s involvement but admits he should have asked questions about the horses’ ownership bona fides.

Group One winner Azkadellia, Little Bubulu, Loveable Rogue, Hart and Mr Simples were raced in the name of Maher’s former racing manager Ben Connolly.

Connolly confessed that Foster was involved in the ownership of the horses, the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board heard on Monday.

Racing Victoria stewards wanted Maher disqualified for what they said was a serious case of conduct prejudicial to the image, interests or welfare of racing, despite his guilty plea.

But RAD Board chair Judge John Bowman said disqualification was not warranted, noting it would have impacted Maher’s staff and others.

The board rejected a defence submission that any suspension be itself suspended.

Bowman said Maher ought to have known there were questions about the horses’ ownership, particularly Azkadellia, and that it probably involved notorious convicted conman Foster.

“Your serious lapse of judgment could be seen in enabling the perpetration of the fraud,” Bowman said.

The board heard Maher contacted stewards after a November 2014 article suggested Foster may be involved with the horses.

Stewards’ barrister Dr Clifford Pannam QC said Maher did not ask whether Foster, his niece Arabella whose company was listed as the owner or any of the conman’s associates were involved in the sale to Connolly.

Nor did he ask how Connolly, a racing manager on an $80,000 salary, could afford to buy the five horses and pay the training fees.

“It screamed out, in the stewards’ submission, for inquiry,” Pannam said.

“No inquiry was made.”

The tribunal heard Azkadellia was a $260,000 filly when purchased but Connolly paid $60,000, which Maher considered to be cheap.

Pannam said Connolly owed Maher $75,000 in training fees in May 2016 but the trainer made no attempt to press for payment despite knowing Azkadellia had already won a substantial amount of money.

Pannam said Maher had dinner with Foster, Foster’s niece and others the same month, but still made no inquiries.

The barrister said Connolly eventually told stewards about Foster’s involvement and then owned up to Maher in September 2016, but the trainer initially denied having been told.

Maher accepts he did not measure up to the responsibilities that come with being a trainer.

“I can assure the stewards that I have learned a valuable lesson, something which I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” he said in an apology to stewards.

Maher said he was glad the matter had come to an end and looked forward to the future.

Maher earned $150,000 in training fees from the mare, who won more than $1.5 million prize money.

Credit: AAP

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