Anthony Knott has lost his appeal against a three-year disqualification

Anthony Knott, former owner of 2012 Cheltenham Festival winner Hunt Ball, has lost his appeal against a three-year disqualification from racing which he received last December.

A disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority found last November he assisted, encouraged or caused one or more others to act in contravention of the rule regarding the passing on of inside information relating to his horse Theroadtogorey in one of three races.

Andrew Callow, a non-licensed and non-registered person, was found guilty of committing a corrupt or fraudulent practice, namely the use of inside information about the likely performance of Theroadtogorey for betting purposes. He was excluded from racing for three years.

Callow is alleged to have benefited from inside information not known to the public when laying Theroadtogorey in a two-mile novices' hurdle at Uttoxeter in July, 2012.

Callow won £6,155 when Theroadtogorey finished a tailed-off eighth of the nine runners.

A disciplinary panel concluded in November that Knott did not benefit from Callow laying Theroadtogorey, although he had passed on the information due to the pair's close relationship in the cattle trade.

Appeals against both the finding and the penalty were dismissed. The reasons for their decision will be published in due course.

The resolution of any issue as to costs has been deferred to a later date.