Cosgrave's delight at BHA decision Pat Cosgrave has been successful in his application to the British Horseracing Authority to not reciprocate the lengthy ban he incurred in Dubai. The rider was initially handed a six-month ban by the Emirates Racing Authority (ERA) following his performance on the Mike de Kock-trained Anaerobio at Meydan in March. Cosgrave was found to have moved his mount off the rail in the straight to allow stablemate Vercingetorix through on the inside to win the Group One Jebel Hatta, with Anaerobio eventually third. The ban was reduced to four months following an appeal to the ERA in May. Cosgrave asked the BHA not to impose the suspension in this country and had been free to ride until a hearing in London was heard on Tuesday morning. The ban had been due to expire on July 16. The BHA tweeted: "The disciplinary panel has upheld an application from Pat Cosgrave that suspension imposed upon him by ERA should not be reciprocated. "Cosgrave is free to continue riding in Britain as a result. The disciplinary panel's reasons will be published in due course." Paul Struthers, chief executive of the Professional Jockeys Association, tweeted: "I am thrilled to confirm that @patcosgrave has been successful with his non-reciprocation application to @BHAPressOffice. "I must thank Christopher Stewart-Moore, Thomas Crockett and Graeme McPherson QC who were superb in their representation of @patcosgrave." Cosgrave's agent Nicky Adams said the BHA's decision was a welcome boost ahead of Royal Ascot next week. He said: "It's a big relief. The season has been on hold for him, really, although he has been riding the past few weeks. He didn't really know where he stood. The trainers have been good, though, and very supportive of him. "I'm sure it's a big weight off his shoulders, it's onwards and upwards know, he won't have it hanging over him any longer. "With Ascot just around the corner it has come at just the right time, he's got a couple of nice rides lined up there." Last October, the BHA also refused to reciprocate a 56-day riding ban given to Martin Dwyer by the Royal Western India Turf. Robin Mounsey, media manager of the BHA, said: "BHA's starting position was set out in the rules of racing which state that penalties imposed by overseas recognised racing authorities will be reciprocated, a position which is echoed by the International Agreement. "However it has also been established in previous cases in regards to reciprocation that a suspension should not be reciprocated if, for example, the panel believe that the relevant disciplinary and appeal processes followed were procedurally unfair or did not accord with the relevant racing authority's rules. Decisions on reciprocation are formally delegated to the disciplinary panel. "We cannot comment further on the decision until we have the panel's full reasons."
