Rust wanted ‘tougher sentence’ for Best

British Horseracing Authority chief executive Nick Rust believes a stiffer penalty should have been handed out to Jim Best.

The Lewes trainer was suspended for six months following a rehearing into the running and riding of two horses in December last year.

He was handed the ban by an independent disciplinary panel after it ruled Best had instructed conditional jockey Paul John to ride Echo Brava and Missile Man other than on their merits, and that they were “stopping rides”.

Best was also found to be in breach of the rule governing conduct prejudicial to horseracing.

“Speaking personally, we would have liked to have seen a tougher sentence coming down for this,” Rust told At The Races.

“We read very carefully what the panel has had to say and we note their comments with regards to guidelines.

“Within the penalty guidelines there was the scope to hand down a longer sentence, but we can’t be held to account both …

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