Gordon Elliott facing BHA disciplinary hearing on Wednesday after Cheltenham runner Zanahiyr tested positive for banned drugs

Gordon Elliott

Michael Verney

February 07 2023 02:46 PM

Gordon Elliott will be before an independent disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) tomorrow after one of his horses was found to have the presence of a prohibited substance at last year's Cheltenham Festival.

The panel will consider whether or not Elliott is in breach of racing rules after a post-race sample taken from Zanahiyr following the Champion Hurdle on March 15 was shown to contain the prohibited substance 3-hydroxylidocaine.

Zanahiyr, ridden by Jack Kennedy, finished third behind Honeysuckle in the hurling showpiece at the Cotswolds but now faces disqualification after testing positive for a substance commonly used as a local anaesthetic agent with horses.

The Willie Mullins-trained Saint Roi will be upgraded to third should Zanahiyr, owned by Noel and Valerie Moran's Bective Stud, be disqualified.

Elliott missed the 2021 Cheltenham Festival when a picture emerged online of him sitting on a dead horse with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) hitting the Cullentra handler with a six-month ban after being found guilty of bringing the sport into disrepute.

Denise 'Sneezy' Foster took the reins at his Meath yard during his time out, but Elliott has successfully rebuilt his racing empire and his reputation since returning in September of that year.

This latest controversy will put the spotlight on Elliott again, with the most important time of the National Hunt season just around the corner as the Cheltenham Festival kicks off five weeks from today.