The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has suspended Anthony Beaton.

Due to concerns regarding the welfare of the horses, the Standardbred trainer has been suspended for two years.

The investigation was started on 13 October 2023, when the AGCO received information regarding the state of the horses on his property.

The licence was suspended immediately and will last until 12 October 2025.

Karin Schnarr, AGCO CEO and Registrar, said: “The AGCO holds horseracing participants to the highest standards of conduct, particularly those responsible for the care and training of horses.

“The integrity of racing lies in safeguarding the health and welfare of horses and protecting the safety of individuals.”

Under the proceedings, Beaton will have the right to appeal through the Horse Racing Appeal Panel (HRAP), an independent adjudicative body.

According to the investigation, Beaton has allegedly broken Rules 6.20(b) and 6.22 of Standardbred Racing.

The first rule, 6.20 (b), relates to a participant committing misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of racing, while the second ruling, 6.22, is enacted when a participant commits an act of cruelty or neglect to a horse, whether on or off the grounds of an association.

This was due to evidence pointing to him using a whip excessively on a yearling, a horse under two years old.

The excessive and repeated force caused injury to the horse, which goes against basic equine safety and welfare.

Recently, AGCO fined PointsBet Canada CA$150,000 due to several violations.