26-06-2025
Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer gets three-month 'non-sporting offences' ban
French trainer David Cottin has had his racing licence suspended for three months after being found guilty of "non-sporting offences."
The punishment was handed down after the French ministry of the interior submitted a request on behalf of the police on April 30. France Galop, the governing body for flat and steeplehorse racing in France, confirmed its verdict this week following an investigation.
And it means former Cheltenham Festival-winner Cottin will be prevented from entering any runners into competition until September 24. The ex-jockey was previously banned for 12 months, six of which were suspended for good behaviour, after horses under his command failed drug tests.
He returned to competition at the end of 2023 but has fallen afoul of the authorities once more. Specific details regarding this latest suspension are yet to be disclosed. Paris Turf reported Cottin has been denied the right to appeal the verdict.
Cottin and his team successfully argued to have proceedings delayed after the request was first submitted. An adversarial hearing, which allows each party to question one another's evidence, then took place on June 19.
France Galop granted the police request five days later. It's understood Cottin currently has 59 horses in training, each of whom will now be ineligible to race until September as long as they remain part of his stable.
In addition to seeing his training licence suspended, Cottin's rights as an owner and breeder have also been revoked for the three months. The son of famed French trainer Philippe Cottin now faces an uncertain future in the sport, at least in the short term.
The Racing Post reported Cottin's only hope for an appeal would have to go through the courts and is different from a normal disciplinary ban. This supports the assertion that his offence is non-sports related.
The Chantilly trainer celebrated one of the biggest results of his career when Easysland clinched victory in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase in 2020. That win interrupted Tiger Roll's run of success in the race and prevented the Gordon Elliott-trained icon from winning it four years in a row.
Twelve months later, Tiger Roll got his revenge by pipping Easysland to the title once again. However, Cottin has since bounced back with more recent success.
He won the Prix Alain du Breil with Kervala du Berlais at the Grande Course de Haies de Printemps in May. That netted the trainer his chunk of a £150,000 winner's prize and marked one of the biggest results of his career shortly before this latest setback.
