One Galway seller, who did not wish to be named, handed over a Pacino filly foal and a three-year-old filly by Hector Van D’Abdijhoeve to the man but was never paid for his animals. The Tuam native was among a number of Irishmen who travelled to Wales earlier this week to try and track down their stolen horses. Although the men succeeded in identifying two horses stolen in Ireland, they were prevented from taking the horses back to Ireland by authorities there.

The latest development comes after Louth woman Noeleen Kiernan notified Gardai in Ardee in early March that her 17.1hh chesnut Vechta gelding had been stolen by a man posing as a legitimate buyer of sport horses.