Grand National-winning trainer and former RTÉ racing pundit Ted Walsh has indicated he will appeal the €3,000 fine imposed on him by stewards at Wexford on Saturday under ‘non-trier’ rules.
Ta Na La, owned by Walsh’s wife Helen, finished runner-up to Aspire Tower in a novice chase on her first start over fences.
The stewards held a running and riding inquiry into the 16-1 shot’s performance in which Ta Na La’s jockey Shane O’Callaghan stated that his instructions “issued directly from the trainer” were to jump and get his mount settled as the mare can be very free in her races.
He added he was told to get her jumping well, come home the best she could “and not to use his whip”.
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However, the stewards concluded that both rider and trainer had breached parts of Rule 212 “in that the rider was not seen to have attempted to obtain from his mount timely, real and substantial efforts to achieve the best possible place”.
They fined Walsh €3,000, suspended O’Callaghan for 14 days and banned Ta Na La from running for 60 days.
Samples from the horse were taken for further analysis. The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board veterinary officer at Wexford reported the animal to be post-race normal. The vet also reported to the stewards he had received a report from Ta Na La’s groom that the horse had “coughed a few times after being sampled”.
Walsh, who famously landed the 2000 Aintree Grand National with Papillon ridden by his son Ruby, confirmed to the Racing Post on Sunday he would appeal the verdicts but declined to comment further.
The 75-year-old is one of the most recognisable figures in Irish racing. Alongside successful careers as an amateur jockey and then a trainer, in 2023 he stepped down after 40 years as RTÉ racing’s best-known analyst of the sport. Walsh’s comments sometimes proved as controversial as they were colourful.
It is 10 years since he was cleared of wrongdoing by racing’s regulatory body over a case involving the horse Foxrock and how it lost its two front shoes in a race at Punchestown.
An initial stewards’ inquiry on the day heard that the horse had pulled off the shoes during the race. The Turf Club reopened the case after video evidence showed Foxrock wearing the shoes immediately after the race.
Walsh was represented by the former minister for justice Michael McDowell in a high-profile hearing in which evidence was heard from figures including Aidan O’Brien and Willie Mullins.
It ultimately concluded when a Referrals Committee said it couldn’t be sure how the shoes were lost in the aftermath of the race.
In other news, Saturday’s Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas card at the Curragh will be included for the first time in Tote World Pool betting. The Hong Kong Jockey Club run pool is the biggest co-mingled market in world racing.
The Irish Derby has been included in pool betting for the last two years resulting in a €500,000 pay-off for Irish racing each season, divided between the Curragh, the Tote, and Horse Racing Ireland.
It is unclear if a Guineas card featuring the first Irish Classic of 2025 will prove similarly valuable, although for the second year running both of Sunday’s Group One contests, the 1,000 Guineas and the Tatts Gold Cup, will also feature in the World Pool.
Brian Kavanagh, chief executive at the Curragh, said officials are hopeful of a significant return to the sport from inclusion.
“It relates to the amount of betting that takes place in Hong Kong on these races and some local dynamics can come into play there. The fact we will have international competition with English runners and well-known jockeys is always a factor with punters over there,” he said.
“The ideal field size are eight plus for the races and competitive racing because that allows them to offer not just win and place betting, but some of the exotic bets that punters in Hong Kong seem to like,” he added.
Field Of Gold, an unlucky runner-up to Ruling Court in the English 2,000 Guineas earlier this month is currently an odds-on favourite to go one better in next weekend’s €500,000 highlight. His Juddmonte ownership could also pitch Cosmic Year into the race.
Aidan O’Brien holds a record 12 wins in the Curragh 2,000 Guineas and may supplement Twain into the race at Tuesday’s important confirmation stage for the weekend action. O’Brien’s Lake Victoria is favourite for the 1,000 Guineas.
Dublin footballer Ciarán Kilkenny is part of the ownership of Onemoredance, who bids to follow up a recent Tipperary success in the finale at Roscommon on Monday. She faces a much quicker surface this time, though.
Trainer Johnny Murtagh also saddles the stoutly-bred Mocking in an earlier maiden and he is dropping in distance so may be vulnerable to Omni Man.
