CYBERSNOW, THE horse banned from racing for two years in May, is free to race again and has been reinstated as the winner of two races in 2009, after owner James Ferry’s successful Turf Club appeal which was announced yesterday.

Cybersnow was the centre of a lengthy Turf Club investigation into allegations he ran under the name “Man About Town” in a flapper race in Co Donegal in June of last year.

The horse subsequently won two races on the track proper, including at last year’s Galway festival, but he was banned from racing for two years at a referrals committee hearing in May and disqualified from four races, including the two victories.

Crucially, however, Ferry was cleared of any wrongdoing and the owner decided to take the matter to the second and final stage of the Turf Club’s appeals system and a hearing was heard last month.

The three-man Division Two Appeal Body Panel, which included Judge Tony Hunt, published its findings yesterday and said that on the back of Ferry being cleared at the original hearing, there was “sufficient doubt” about the flapping allegations to allow the ban and disqualifications to stand.

Denying the decision was embarrassing to the Turf Club, the regulatory body’s chief executive Denis Egan said yesterday: “This is what the system is for, so that somebody who is penalised can appeal if they so wish.

“A fresh pair of eyes looked at everything and decided there was sufficient doubt. We will now study the judgment and its implications.”