Leading Hong Kong trainer Frankie Lor has been slapped with a massive fine for having family visit his apartment, breaching the ‘racing bubble’ created by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Frankie Lor – won’t be appealing the fine (Pic – HKJC)
Racenet and the Hong Kong Jockey Club report that Stewards docked the 56-year-old HK$600,000 (R1,2 million) for the indiscretion, “having acted in a manner prejudicial to the proper conduct of racing under the control and direction of the club.”
With Covid-19 raging in Hong Kong, the HKJC has banned anyone living in club-sponsored apartments from having visitors while also suspending ‘cross-household gatherings’ in an effort to continue racing during the pandemic.
Lor, who lives on-course at Sha Tin, pleaded guilty to breaking that rule twice, on February 17 and 25, with one of the visitors, believed to be his daughter-in-law, subsequently testing positive.
It is understood that the fine was the largest that could be handed down without including a suspension.
Lor, who sits second in the trainers’ championship with 48 winners (one behind John Size), has been temporarily removed from the apartment and cannot attend the races for a week. He hasn’t tested positive to Covid-19 at this stage.
While trainers testing positive is not that big of a deal in isolation – Dennis Yip did so last week – the issue for the HKJC is the sport will be under severe threat if any jockeys get infected.
With only 24 licensed riders on the books, and no ability to add to that in the short term given how hard it is to get into the city at the moment, it would be very difficult to continue if a handful became indisposed.
Lor has confirmed he won’t be appealing the fine.
