CONVICTED drug dealer John Boylan has just over a week to explain to the High Court how he acquired cash and valuables including an alleged share in Cheltenham winner Labaik.

Boylan, from Lucan in Co Dublin, is not a registered owner of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but the Criminal Assets Bureau claims that he is a part-owner. He posed for photographs holding the horse in the winner’s enclosure at Cheltenham.

There is no suggestion than any of the other syndicate members involved with Labaik have any involvement in crime.

Following a series of raids in early April, which included a visit to a prominent racing stables, the Criminal Assets Bureau applied to the High Court for the right to seize assets owned or part-owned by the 30-year-old Boylan.

A deadline of June 5th for a response from Boylan’s legal representatives was missed. His counsel said the reason the replying affidavit had not been filed was some clarification had to be sought in relation to matters.

LARGE VOLUME

A “large volume of material” had arrived from solicitors and that included material in relation to a “large amount of gambling income,” he said.

Ms Justice Carmel Stewart extended time for providing the affidavit for two weeks and adjourned the case for mention to the end of July.

Formerly trained in France, Labaik was sold by Shadwell Estates at the Goffs UK August Horses in Training Sale last year for £25,000. The horse had acquired a reputation for refusing to race from stalls, a trait which he repeated on his first Irish start at Laytown a month later.

However, Labaik regained his appetite for racing when tried over hurdles, winning twice before resorting to his old habits on three occasions. The horse would have been barred from racing after the third refusal to race but for his jockey’s persistence to complete the course in his own time.

Sent to Cheltenham for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Labaik was backed from 50/1 into 25/1 before winning by over two lengths. The horse was entered for the Goffs UK Aintree Sale but was withdrawn, apparently on the instructions of CAB.

At Punchestown in April Labaik again refused to race when tried in novice company on the opening day of the Festival.

Turned out again later in the week for the Champion Hurdle, the horse started with the others and finished a respectable fourth but was reported to have sustained an injury which will keep him off the track for an extended period.

The High Court was told this week that Labaik was “not in the same condition as a result of the vagaries of sport.”

The horse is understood to have completed a period of box-rest and is due to be put out to grass for the summer.