ban confirmed Rob James suspended for four months after IHRB hearing following video on social media

Jockey Rob James

March 10 2021 10:56 PM

Amateur jockey Rob James has been handed a 12-month ban, the last eight of which are suspended, following an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board referral hearing into the video posted on social media of him sitting on a dead horse.

James will be out of action for four months as a result and a detailed decision will be published by the IHRB on Thursday.

The hearing took place on Wednesday evening, after the IHRB concluded its investigation into the incident.

Just days after an image of Grand National-winning trainer Gordon Elliott sitting on a dead horse was posted on Twitter, a video of James - who rode the Elliott-trained Milan Native to victory at the Cheltenham Festival last year - emerged on the social media platform.

James has since apologised for his "wholly inappropriate and disrespectful" actions, and said he was "heartbroken by the damage" caused by the video, which was taken in 2016.

Following a referral hearing last Friday, Elliott had his training licence suspended for 12 months, with the last six months of that suspended.