By: Jessica Lamb

TRAINER Philip Fenton has withdrawn his appeal against a three-year ban imposed on him by the Turf Club for drug possession.

Fenton, who is also set to be made a disqualified person in March, had specifically questioned the severity of his punishments and was due to have this case heard on Tuesday at the Turf Clubโ€™s Curragh headquarters.

However, he has had a change of heart which brings his training ban into effect immediately. His training licence is revoked as of Wednesday and he will become a disqualified person on March 1.

A Turf Club statement read: โ€œThe Turf Club has received notification that Philip Fenton has withdrawn his appeal with regard to the โ€˜severityโ€™ of the ban imposed on him by the referrals committee at a hearing on Saturday, November 22.โ€

The ban follows on from Fentonโ€™s conviction in Carrick-on-Suir district court on eight charges of being in possession of banned substances, including anabolic steroids, at his stables near Carrick-on-Suir in January 2012.

The drugs were found during a Department of Agriculture inspection.