Burke tells Knott to take Hunt Ball away Keiran Burke has told colourful owner Anthony Knott to remove Hunt Ball from the yard after recent controversies that saw both owner and trainer fined by the British Horseracing Authority. The pair have enjoyed some great days together as Hunt Ball ran up an incredible sequence two seasons ago before winning at the Cheltenham Festival. The eight-year-old continued to perform creditably last season, returning to Cheltenham in March to finish a fine fourth under a big weight in the Byrne Group Plate before going on to win at Taunton. His run at Cheltenham caught the eye of the stewards, however, as Knott had persuaded a leading bookmaker to donate £10,000 to charity in turn for having their logo painted on the horse's quarters. Both Knott and Burke were fined by the British Horseracing Authority for acting in a manner deemed prejudicial to the good name of the sport. Burke said on Monday: "I asked Mr Knott to take Hunt Ball away and he has just gone today. "It was a very hard decision as he's the best horse I've trained and possibly the best I will ever train, but I've got to look after myself and think of my career. "I wish the horse all the best and I hope someone else will have a lot of fun with him because he's a good horse and he deserves to be running in the right races for him."
