SHARK Hanlon has yet to decide if he will seek to recruit a licensed trainer to step in for him when he begins a a likely three-month suspension starting on December 1st but says he expects there will only be a handful of horses in his Co Carlow yard during the winter months.

This week Hanlon found out that the Appeals Body reduced his 10-month ban to six months, with the invitation to apply to the Referrals Committee after three months for the suspension of the remainder of the penalty. Also this week the trainer disposed of 15 horses at Goffs UK in Doncaster. After consulting with his owners, he decided to sell the horses when he discovered his partner Rachel O’Neill would be unable to qualify as a trainer before December 1st.

Speaking to The Irish Field on Friday, Hanlon said: “I have no plan finalised yet. We buried Rachel’s father (Ronnie O’Neill) on Monday, we had the sale on Tuesday and got the Appeals Body result on Wednesday. I haven’t had time to think things through. All I can tell you is that Hewick will either run at Down Royal (Champion Chase) or Wetherby (Charlie Hall Chase).”

Recalling the recent death of his own father, Hanlon said: “2024 was a disaster and I just hope next year will be better.”

The punishment related to an incident in June where Hanlon’s branded horsebox was seen pulling a trailer on public roads with a fully visible horse carcass. The incident was filmed by a member of the public and shared widely on social media. Hanlon explained that a tarpaulin covering the horse had blown away during the journey.

Hanlon’s solicitor Stephen Lanigan O’Keeffe criticised comparisons made by the IHRB between his client’s actions and the high-profile scandals of Gordon Elliott and Rob James.

This point was crucial in the Appeals Body reducing the ban imposed on Hanlon, according to their statement on Wednesday. It read: “In their cases, the lack of respect demonstrated to the carcass of the deceased animal in each case was deliberate and wilful. Mr Hanlon’s was not.

“He was negligent, albeit to a high degree. We do not think that the reduction of the headline penalty from one of 12 months withdrawal of licence to 10 months adequately addresses that major difference.”

Hanlon commented: “I would like to thank my legal team of John Whelan, Stephen Lanigan-O’Keeffe and Niall Flynn. Thanks also to my owners and yard sponsors BoyleSports for sticking behind me the whole way.”