Havlin wins appeal

JOCKEY Robert ‘Rab’ Havlin has won his appeal against a ban for careless riding at Yarmouth when riding the John Gosden-trained Swift Verdict. The British Horseracing Authority’s disciplinary panel quashed the decision by local stewards to hand Havlin a 10-day ban following the meeting on July 22nd.

Havlin said: “On the day it was bad. No-one is taking away the interference was significant. The two lads (Tom Marquand and Harry Bentley) were lucky to stand up. (But) from my point of view there was little I could do. They said it was under a right-hand drive. It actually took two seconds for the whole thing to happen.

“We looked at it for three hours at the inquiry and obviously I’m glad at the outcome. When you slowed it down, I literally had half a second to get him off, so who can do that in half a second?

“I know the stewards on the day have got a tough job because they haven’t got time to go over it like they could in London.

“I don’t normally appeal. I think it’s the second appeal in my career, but I just thought people looked at the interference and saw two horses nearly coming down and thinking somebody must have done something bad for that to happen. But, as even Tom said himself, the riding offence that caused it was minimal.”

Prominent owner passes away

THE international racehorse owner Jon Kelly has died, aged 84. A very successful American businessman, he had horses in training in the USA, Australia and in Europe. Jessica Harrington trained two Group 3 winners for him recently, Beautiful Morning and Cayenne Pepper.

Phoenix Stakes hots up

THE Curragh Racecourse is hopeful of some supplementary entries next Tuesday morning for the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes which will be run on Sunday week, August 9th. British trainer Martyn Meade won the race two years ago with Advertise and could possibly supplement Method, who earned rave reviews after his listed race success at Newbury recently. Aloha Star, the 33/1 winner of the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes, would also need to be supplemented, as would this week’s Molecomb Stakes winner Steel Bull.

Royal Ascot winner The Lir Jet is expected to represent trainer Michael Bell and Qatar Racing, while the first three home in the Group 2 Gain Railway Stakes - Law Of Indices, Lucky Vega and Artician - are likely runners. Trainer Aidan O’Brien has won the race 16 times since 1998 and is sure to be represented again.

Curragh celebrates stable staff

AUGUST is Stable Staff Appreciation Month at the Curragh. The initiative is supported by TRM, Ireland’s largest equestrian superstore, who will sponsor a series of races at the track’s four August meetings.

The overall leading trainer of the TRM series will receive a prize to benefit their staff. The groom in charge of the horse judged to be best turned out in all four races will receive a €100 TRI Equestrian gift card, while the winning trainer will receive a hamper of TRM products. The winning owner will also receive a framed photograph of their winner.

Defoe fatally injured

LAST year’s Group 1 Coronation Cup winner Defoe suffered a fatal injury on the Newmarket gallops. Trained by Roger Varian, the son of Dalakhani also won the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last year. Varian said: “Although not large in stature, Defoe had the heart of a lion and his adoring fans from around the world will no doubt join us in mourning his loss and celebrating his achievements. He was one of those nice guys. My thoughts are with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid (owner) as it is a big loss to him and all the staff at home, who have grown very attached to him over the years.”