BACK before the High Court on Thursday was the continuing legal action between plaintiff Thistle Bloodstock and defendants racehorse trainer Philip Fenton and Athlone international sport horse dealer Jim Derwin.

On February 7th last, Thistle Bloodstock was granted an injunction against the running of a racehorse The Tartan Spartan in a hurdle race at Naas. The legal action was taken after Thistle’s manager Andrew Hughes spotted the entry of the horse they believed had been slaughtered the previous year.