Leading trainer Milton Harris to face BHA hearing next week after having licence suspended

TRAINER Milton Harris is hoping ‘the truth comes out’ when he faces a BHA licensing committee hearing next week.

The Grade 1-winning trainer had his licence suspended by the BHA in November for “breaching the conditions on his licence”.

PATrainer Milton Harris will face Licensing committee hearing next week[/caption]

Milton Harris’s assistant Tony Charlton has taken the reins at his Wiltshire base since, training a pair of winners so far.

A BHA spokesperson at the time said: “Following a hearing before the Chairperson of the independent Judicial Panel of the BHA, Mr Harris’s licence has been suspended pending a Licensing committee hearing in January.

“This is as a result of a breach of the conditions on his licence and related matters.”

Harris will face the committee next week and all he is hoping for is a “fair hearing” after a tricky period.

Harris said: “We’ve got the hearing next week and I just hope the truth comes out – if the truth comes out I’m comfortable. All we’re looking for is a fair hearing.

“Tony Charlton has done an excellent job with the horses and so have all the stable staff too.

“We’ve won £70,000 in prize money recently and they’ve done extremely well. I’m grateful to the owners too.

“It’s been very difficult financially for the business but also personally for me as well.”

The 64-year-old is in his second spell as a trainer, having returned in 2018 after seven years without a licence after declaring bankruptcy in 2011.

His biggest win as a trainer came at Aintree when Knight Salute dead-heated for first in the Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle before being handed the race outright following a stewards’ enquiry.

He recently had a health scare in November 2022 when he rushed to hospital while on holiday in Thailand.

He spent a week in intensive care after falling ill with a pulmonary embolism moments after landing.