Melbourne Cup winning jockey Scott Seamer has been banned for six months by stewards after an inquiry into the bona fides of the training of racehorses at Ballina.

The penalty was handed down on Thursday after trainer William Pholi pleaded guilty to running two horses in races and barrier trials between December 2011 and July 2012 when they were being prepared by Seamer, who does not hold a trainers’ licence.

Seamer, whose big race wins include the 2001 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups aboard Ethereal, has not held a jockeys’ licence for almost two years.

The horses, Barovnik and Elldarragh, are owned by Seamer’s wife Louise who has also been disqualified for six months over the matter.

Pholi was given a four-month ban.

Stewards took into account the prior clear records of those involved before issuing penalties.