JIM Gorman has settled his High Court case against Luke Comer but now faces a legal action himself from Comer.

This week the High Court struck out Gorman’s case against Comer after hearing the parties involved had reached a settlement.

Gorman was Comer’s private trainer for six years at Kilternan, Co Dublin, until Comer was given a three-year ban in 2024 following a long-running investigation into a number of positive drug test results for anabolic steroids returned by Comer-owned horses in 2021.

In his High Court affidavit Gorman claimed he was offered a bribe by Comer to “take the rap” for the positive drug tests. He also told the court that Comer said he had been informed by a Coolmore Stud employee that Gorman had accepted money from Coolmore to administer drugs to Comer’s horses.

Lawyers for Coolmore Stud wrote a letter rejecting those allegations in the strongest possible terms and said that Coolmore owner John Magnier had personally told Comer that “in no uncertain terms that Coolmore would never have any involvement in such activity.”

This week the High Court heard that, following talks between the two parties, Comer had agreed to pay €35,000 towards Gorman’s legal expenses and agreed to provide any evidence he has regarding the alleged defamatory claim made by a Coolmore executive.

But while Gorman has agreed to drop any claims against Comer in relation to the matter, it emerged that Comer is bringing his own proceedings against Gorman, in which he will “take extreme issue” with much of what was contained in Gorman’s original affidavit.

Gorman’s legal team said any proceedings brought by Comer would be vigorously defended.

Comer began a three-year suspension in August 2024 following a long-running case with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.

A property developer, Comer is one of Ireland’s wealthiest businessmen and his Comer Group International sponsors a number of big races at the Curragh.

He incurred legal costs and fines totalling well into seven figures in his defence against charges brought against him by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. After losing his appeal, he began a three-year training ban in August 2024.