stewards too have responsibilities toward the reputation of the sport.

​What is wrong with Irish stewards? It is utterly bizarre that they can impose a lenient sentence for absolute animal cruelty of 3-years to one licenced trainer and then impose what is comparatively a draconian sentence on another licenced trainer of 10-months for what to all extent and purpose is a tarpaulin over the carcass of a horse coming loose in transit. Guilty sentences should be appropriate to the crime and it is something Irish stewards seem not to appreciate.
Shark Hanlon, one of the sport’s great characters, has received a 2,000 euro fine and a suspension of his licence for ten-months, though five of the months may become suspended, for bringing the sport into disrepute by transporting the carcass of a horse on a trailer towed by a horsebox with Shark’s name and logo on it, during which the tarpaulin that covered the carcass came loose, exposing the dead horse to sensitive onlookers, some of whom took the opportunity to take photographs.
As of the report I have read in the Racing Post, we are not informed the name of the horse or the circumstances of how it came to lose its life. The problem with censoring some of the facts of the case is that those opposed to the sport can make wildly inaccurate claims on how the horse died, as happened in the overly-hyped prosecution of Gordon Elliott, who at the end of the day was made a villain for the stupid act of allowing himself to be photographed sat astride a dead horse. Gordon was accused of galloping the horse to death and other stupid accusations. 
Fairness in Shark’s case would have been the 2,000 euro fine and a sharp rap over the knuckles. Perhaps a 5-month suspended sentence at worst. But to deny a man his livelihood for poor judgement is beyond unfair, and worse, it is a starting point for the ignorant few to build yet another erroneous case of animal cruelty against the sport. The Irish stewards, in my opinion, continue to behave irresponsible, with their verdicts maligning the sport to worse effect than the ‘crimes’ they investigate and adjudicate upon.
Yes, to transport the carcass in an open trailer towed by his own horsebox was poor judgement. In fact, he may have left the transportation to the knackery to staff members, I do not know. And if he did not oversee the loading of the carcass and ensuring the body was covered correctly, perhaps he was guilty of a form of neglect of duty. But to lose his livelihood for the best part of a year; to have his reputation stained, is so far beyond reprehensible that those responsible should be removed from their positions.
Shark was certainly guilty of poor judgement, yet I contend the Irish stewards are equally guilty of poor judgement as by making headlines out of a parochial matter they have behaved in a manner likely to bring the sport into disrepute. When that sicko trainer, (Mahon, was it?) received a 3-year ban for an act of cruelty that turned my stomach and roused me to anger, they suggested a longer suspension would cause hardship to his family, and yet to a licenced trainer whose reputation for fun and the right spirit precedes him, no similar kindness was offered.
In banning Shark, they perhaps have banned Hewick from gracing the racecourses of Ireland and Britain, too; they have punched a hole in a fairytale. These people need to be named and shamed for making a mountain out of a molehill, and then left to ‘die’ upon that mountain.
Shark Hanlon intends to appeal. Every trainer in Ireland should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him as any one of them in the future may also be subject to similar prosecution and sentence.