AP McCoy says decision to fine Henry Oliver is 'embarrassing rubbish'

Sir Anthony McCoy criticised the stewards' "stupidity', calling the decision "appalling"

Sir Anthony McCoy says Uttoxeter stewards' decision to fine a trainer for waving his arms behind one of his runners at the start of a race was "embarrassing rubbish".

Worcestershire's Henry Oliver was found guilty of misconduct and fined £140.

His horse Burrenbridge Hotel had been reluctant to take part in the race at Uttoxeter on Saturday.

The British Horseracing Authority said Oliver, a former jockey, had broken a rule that was there "for good reason".

"We set a lot of store in our sport behind the fact that we do not force horses to race and that they do so of their own free will," it continued.

"In the interests of a fair, even start individual horses should not have the attention of a trainer or a representative to get them on their way."

But McCoy, the 20-time champion jump jockey who retired in 2015, tweeted that the ruling was "stupidity' and "appalling".

He added he would block the BHA Stewards' Twitter feed to avoid reading any further "embarrassing rubbish".

Analysis

BBC horse racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght

This rule, however well-intentioned, just makes the British Horseracing Authority, in particular, but also the sport in general look ridiculous.

A bit of arm waving won't make half a ton of horse do anything if it doesn't fancy it, and anyway the suggestion that it could contribute to an unfair start is laughable - as far as I know, trainers or their representatives are still allowed on request to 'lead in' a horse which you could argue goes against 'a fair, even start'.

This, meanwhile, is yet another challenge to the authority of the British Horseracing Authority.

The latest in a long line of hiccups from the body was the delay in midweek of a controversial new technical rule about the use of horse shoes so that "actions... to further inform the debate" can take place. Better consultation might have been better.