GORDON ELLIOTT’S staff have been reduced to tears amid the fallout of his ‘gut-wrenching’ dead horse photo shame.
The three-time Grand National-winning trainer admits all workers at his Cullentra HQ are ‘suffering’ as a consequence.
Elliott suffered a fresh blow last night when multi-millionaire backers cut their sponsorship of his yard.
Cheveley Park Stud also took away eight horses and gave them to rivals and the trainer has been banned from saddling runners in Britain.
Elliott, 43, finds out on Friday what his punishment will be for straddling a dead horse, phone in one hand and doing the peace symbol with the other.
He has twice apologised for his ‘indefensible moment of madness’.
One report claimed staff were ‘in tears’ seeing horses leaving Elliott’s yard in Co Meath, Ireland.
The trainer will reportedly not fight any ban dished out on Friday.
Elliott told the Racing Post how he was feeling ahead of the crunch hearing.
He said: “I’m absolutely heartbroken. What other way could I be?
“It is gut-wrenching to see the impact all of this is having on my staff.
“They have been the ones who have brought such success to the yard.
“They are gutted, each and every one of them. To see them suffering because of something I have done is hard to stomach.
“I’m very lucky to have some great friends around me, people who have stuck by me despite all of this, and they are doing their best to pick me up off the floor.
“It’s heartbreaking to see what is happening.”
Elliott reserved a special apology for groom Seainin Mahon, who looked after stable superstar Envoi Allen.
The red-hot Cheltenham Festival favourite was one of eight horses to leave the yard yesterday.
Elliott said: “I cannot stress how sorry I am for Seainin. She has been there with Envoi every step of the way.
“Nobody in the world has any idea of the care she has given that horse over the last few years.
“She loved him more than she loved anything else in life.
“All the girls and lads did such an amazing job with those horses who sadly left us.
“I couldn’t speak highly enough of each and every one of them.”
