Jumps trainer Howard Johnson forced to wait to hear BHA punishment

Howard Johnson will have to wait until the end of the week to find out the extent of his expected punishment from the British Horseracing Authority after last week's conclusion of a disciplinary panel hearing. The panel heard allegations that the Co Durham-based Johnson ran a horse eight times in the knowledge that it had no sensation in the lower part of one leg and also that he administered steroids to three other horses. The leading jumps trainer, who denied the charges and said he was unaware of the relevant rule preventing a horse from running after a palmar neurectomy, an operation in which nerves are removed, has already been told whether or not he has been found in breach of the rules, but not details of his penalty. That information was expected to be conveyed to his legal team on Wednesday before being made public, but the process will not now take place until Thursday or, more likely, on Friday. Paul Struthers, a BHA spokesman, said that the compilation of the official reasons behind the decision, a task being undertaken by panel member Matthew Lohn QC, was taking longer than originally expected. Johnson's principal owner, Graham Wylie, has been speaking to the trainer on a daily basis and says that he will move some of his 60 horses to other stables and sell the remainder if the trainer is banned for six months or more.