THE rewriting of Rule 212 in light of the Pyromaniac case has been one of the talking points of the Irish racing scene. The testing of the new rule has come about via the appeal by Ellmarie Holden and Rachael Blackmore against sanctions handed down by the stewards at Fairyhouse on the fourth of this month in regards to the running and riding of Look Closer in a maiden hurdle. It was his third start in less than three weeks since joining Miss Holden from Dermot Weld, for whom the gelding achieved a Turf Club handicap rating of 71 on the flat.

On the day, the stewards found Holden and Blackmore guilty of failing to take all permissible measures to ensure Look Closer was run on his merits, fining the former €2,000, while Look Closer was suspended for 42 days and Rachael Blackmore suspended for five days and ordered to forfeit her riding fee.