THE connections of Pyromaniac will not be punished over the running and riding of the horse at Killarney last July.

On the day the Tony Martin-trained horse was banned for 42 days and the trainer fined €2,000. At the subsequent appeal fresh veterinary evidence was produced suggesting the horse had teeth trouble. The Appeals Panel decided to absolve Martin of any involvement in how the horse was ridden but instead fined him €1,000 for running the horse in a condition which precluded him from doing his best.

Still faced with missing the Galway Hurdle with their horse, the Pyromaniac team sought a judicial review and got permission from the High Court to run the horse in the Galway Hurdle. It emerged this week that the judicial review will not go ahead. The Irish Field understands that the Turf Club has written to connections stating that it will pay all legal costs and that the penalties have been withdrawn.

The Turf Club has not commented on the case but is thought to have settled the matter upon receiving legal advice that the Appeals Panel erred in punishing Martin for a different offence to the one with which he was originally charged. The rule book has since been amended to allow that course of action in the future.