Trainer Burke given one-year ban

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has disqualified trainer Karl Burke for 12 months after an inquiry into alleged race-fixing.

The BHA also warned former owner Miles Rodgers off for life.

Burke has until 28 July to lodge an appeal with his punishment starting a day after that deadline.

"It will be for the appeal board to decide whether to extend that stay of the penalty if he does in fact appeal," said a BHA statement.

"It will also enable Burke to make the application his counsel foreshadowed at the hearing for some form of dispensation from the full effects of a disqualification if he still wishes to do so.

"As the panel do not know of the grounds for such an application, this should not be seen as any encouragement to make it or to think that it might be granted, but it is right to identify that Burke has the opportunity."

The Yorkshire-based handler was investigated after the BHA finished its review following an Old Bailey trial in 2007, when jockeys Darren Williams, Fergal Lynch and Kieren Fallon were all cleared of wrongdoing.

The trio of jockeys faced charges regarding their relationships with Rodgers and whether they gave him inside information over 12 races in 2004.

Williams, who is currently based in the United States, has agreed not to apply for a British licence for 12 months as well as pay a £50,000 fine.

The BHA panel said it "felt driven to conclude that it was necessary to impose a disqualification on Burke, and that the proper period was 12 months, bringing into account the various features of this case."

Burke had been enjoying a fine season and recently saddled Lord Shanakill to Group One success in France.

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