Burke warned off for a year

North Yorkshire trainer Karl Burke has been disqualified for 12 months following a British Horseracing Authority inquiry into alleged race-fixing.The Middleham-based handler has been enjoying a fine season and recently saddled Lord Shanakill to Group One success in France.Former owner Miles Rodgers has been warned off for life, the BHA confirmed.The BHA disciplinary panel decided to postpone the start of Burke's penalty until the day after the time allowed for lodging an appeal - ie until 28 July 2009 - because "it would be wrong to cause what may be irreparable damage to Burke's business in that time if he does intend to appeal."It will be for the Appeal Board to decide whether to extend that stay of the penalty if he does in fact appeal. It will also enable Burke to make the application his counsel foreshadowed at the hearing for some form of dispensation from the full effects of a disqualification if he still wishes to do so."As the Panel does not know of the grounds for such an application, this should not be seen as any encouragement to make it or to think that it might be granted, but it is right to identify that Burke has the opportunity."