New chairman for drugs Task Force
RACING’S Anti-Doping Task Force has a new chairman. Colm Gaynor, a former chief veterinary officer at the Department of Agriculture, will replace Turf Club senior steward Meta Osborne in the role when the task force reconvenes on December 11th.
The task force was established by the board of Horse Racing Ireland in 2015 to review the drug testing regime in Irish racing and breeding. It published its recommendations in February 2016 but industry stakeholders failed to agree on how to implement testing protocols for stud farms which do not come under Turf Club jurisdiction.
It was Osborne who recommended that a new chairman be found who was not connected to the industry.
Top pointer sold
RECENT point-to-point winner Danny Kirwan has been bought privately and is in training with Paul Nicholls. “He’s potentially the best four-year-old I have trained,” was the comment from Pat Doyle after the son of Scorpion made a winning debut at Lisronagh last month. Bloodstock agent Tom Malone handled the deal on behalf of Johnny De La Hey, and not as reported last week.
Stallion Trail back
THE 2018 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Irish Stallion Trail will take place on Friday, January 12th and Saturday, January 13th. Over 20 stallion farms will open their doors to the public that weekend, including Coolmore Stud and Kildangan Stud. Irish Thoroughbred Marketing CEO Charles O’Neill said: “We are delighted to have 22 stud farms confirmed for the Stallion Trail, which is a wonderful showcase for Ireland’s top-class stallions, as well as a brilliant way for the public to learn more about our country’s breeding industry.”
A list of participating stud farms is available on the ITM website the public are encouraged to register early.
Peter Murray-Hayden
EQUINE veterinary surgeon Peter Murray-Hayden died last Sunday. His obituary appears on page A33.
Luke Comer to pay €50,000
TRAINER Luke Comer has been ordered to pay fines and costs totalling €50,088 within 28 days. The Referrals Committee imposed the fines this week in relation to a stable inspection carried out last May.
At that time Comer was found not to have adequate supervision in place at his yard. It was also found that the inspectors had been given false information regarding the location of five horses by Luke Comer Junior and head lad Derek Kelly.
The Committee noted that there had been considerable improvements to operations since July when Jim Gorman was employed as assistant trainer.
A fine of €15,000 was imposed in respect of the false information and a €12,500 fine was imposed in respect of the lack of adequate management structures in the yard at that time. They further ordered that Comer pay the Turf Club’s costs of €22,588. All fines and costs are to be paid within 28 days.
Comer was represented by senior counsel Martin Hahden and barrister Frank Crean, instructed by solicitor Andrew Coonan.
The case was heard by Justice Tony Hunt, Philip Caffrey and Laurence McFerran.