Howard Johnson's licence revoked for four years

Howard Johnson has been issued with a four-year ban after being found guilty of breaching racing rules regarding horse welfare.

The County Durham trainer, who claimed innocence throughout the process, was found guilty of running Striking Article after the late horse had undergone a palmer neurectomy procedure.

The 58-year-old allowed Striking Article to race eight times, in violation of the rules.

The neurectomy, which involves the severing of nerves in the lower leg, was discovered in the post-mortem issued after the horse was put down last year.