Trainer Ciaron Maher has been fined $10,000

Warrnambool trainer Ciaron Maher has been fined $10,000 by stewards for lying about the condition of a horse he scratched late last month.

Maher was forced to face the Racing Appeals Disciplinary Board over the matter, which was headed by Chairman Russell Lewis.

The incident in question occurred when Maher scratched his horse Bruno from the Casterton Foodworks Handicap on May 29, claiming the horse had shifted a plate and now appeared lame in the off foreleg.

This claim was later disproved.

The trainer was also disciplined for giving false evidence at an inquiry, in which he said that Bruno was in fact lame and unfit to run; however, it was proven this was not the case.

Maher also claimed that farrier Laurie Paltridge had visited the horse on the morning the incident occurred, despite the fact that he did not.

Bruno went on to run seventh in a lower rated race later that same day.

Stewards fined Maher $7,500 for making a false statement and a further $2,500 for giving false evidence.

The trainer is best known for training Tears I Cry to victory in the Emirates Stakes in 2007, and also currently trains two-time Grand Steeplechase winner Al Garhood.