BHA charges against Walton withdrawn British Horseracing Authority charges of passing on inside information against former trainer Kate Walton and four others - Carl Flint, Kristian Robson, David Stevens and David Greenwood - have been withdrawn. The BHA said in a statement that: "Following receipt of Walton's and Greenwood's formal responses to the charges, the BHA carefully considered the content and the supporting evidence, which was previously unavailable to the BHA. "As a result, the BHA has informed Walton, Flint, Robson, Stevens and Greenwood that the charges against them have been withdrawn." However, charges against former Scottish Grand National-winning rider Richie McGrath and registered person Mark Aspey still stand. The case is due to be heard on March 23, with seven days set aside for the hearing. Walton's solicitor Rory Mac Neice said: "It was an investigation which took too long and it failed to meet the required standards of an investigation by a governing body. "The BHA failed to ask fundamental questions which if they had done it would have become apparent that Kate didn't have a case to answer. "Also, during the investigation Kate was mourning the loss of her husband and mother so she had no representation. The BHA basically failed Kate, she deserved better." Harry Stewart-Moore of Stewart-Moore Solicitors Ltd, representing Greenwood, said: "This is the second ignominious last-minute withdrawal of proceedings against Mr Greenwood by the BHA. This latest investigation has been ongoing for several years and the BHA has waited until 12 days before the hearing to withdraw its case against Mr Greenwood in circumstances where the BHA declined even to interview him before bringing charges. "The conduct of the BHA towards Mr Greenwood has been and remains oppressive and frankly vindictive. In a previous legal skirmish in the High Court, the BHA was obliged to withdraw an application made in the High Court because a legal officer of the BHA had made a materially misleading witness statement and the BHA felt obliged to pay Mr Greenwood's legal costs. "The BHA has said that it has withdrawn its latest charges against Mr Greenwood as a result of new information provided in Mr Greenwood's recent written submissions. This is simply not correct. Mr Greenwood's submissions contained no new information but simply pointed out to the BHA how hopeless its supposed evidence was. It is a great pity that it required our client to do the BHA's job for it in this regard. "Mr Greenwood will now be making an application to the (BHA disciplinary) Panel that the BHA pays all of his costs in relation to this matter." Together with the alleged use of inside information about the likely performance of horses for betting purposes, it is also alleged by the BHA that McGrath was prepared, if necessary, to omit to ride horses on their merits so as to prevent it from winning or being placed in the race. McGrath won the Ayr showpiece on Ryalux in 2003. He has not ridden this season.
