THE strain in the relationship between the security department of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) and racehorse trainers has been revealed in the High Court this week.

Almost six years after the divisions began, this week saw the start of an expensive two-week High Court case in which the IHRB’s head of security, Chris Gordon, claims he was defamed by the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association (IRTA).