The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) has scrapped the two positions that used to be held by its top former security and investigation officials.
Chris Gordon, the ex-head of security and investigations, as well as his deputy, Declan Buckley, left the IHRB last month.
Gordon, a former Garda superintendent, joined the regulatory body in 2010 when it was known as the Turf Club and endured a turbulent time there, including when becoming embroiled in a dispute with the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association (IRTA).
After conducting joint stable-yard inspections with State officials as part of racing’s anti-doping policy, Gordon brought a defamation action against the IRTA in 2016 after it falsely accused him of concocting evidence during an inspection of Co Wexford trainer Liz Doyle’s premises.
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He was awarded €300,000 following a 30-day trial in the High Court that ended in March 2020.
A jury found he had been the subject of an “orchestrated and severe campaign” against his good name by the IRTA.
An IRTA appeal against that judgment was thrown out, with Mr Justice Brian Murray concluding that a “campaign of defamation” came from “a powerful and extremely influential group within the horse racing industry” in an attempt to prevent Gordon from investigating its members.
It added that Gordon was boycotted by trainers and that his removal from the role of head of security with the sport’s regulator was pursued through Horse Racing Ireland.
An IHRB spokesman said on Sunday: “The roles have been made redundant as part of a broader restructuring of the racing integrity department.” He declined to comment on what such a restructuring may look like.
Solicitor Christine Traynor was appointed head of the IHRB’s Racing Regulation and Integrity department over a year ago.
The IHRB has previously said that investigations are carried out through that department, which will continue to be the case. It insists it will continue to examine potential misconduct in the sector.
Nevertheless, the decision to abolish two positions that specifically reference investigations threatens to leave a gap in the IHRB’s fact-finding capacity.
In other news, Lossiemouth is the new 2-1 favourite with some firms for Cheltenham’s Unibet Champion Hurdle following confirmation that Sir Gino is ruled out for the long-term due to the pelvic injury he sustained at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Nicky Henderson’s star was pulled up in the International Hurdle won by The New Lion, who ultimately scored in workmanlike fashion. Sir Gino is reported to be comfortable in a veterinary hospital with hopes of a full recovery.
Henderson hasn’t ruled Sir Gino out of eventually resuming his racing career but admitted he had a “long journey” ahead of him. The horse returned to action this season following his recovery from a life-threatening infection.
“It’s nothing to do with what happened last year, it’s actually in the opposite hind leg and it is obviously high up.
“In simple terms, he has a fractured pelvis and they are not uncommon and they can mend. It’s going to be a long journey, but if he can come back, he will, and if he can’t, well, he’ll be looked after forever.
“It will be months and months and months before we know where we are or have any prognosis,” he said.
Ladbrokes make Lossiemouth their new market leader ahead of her likely clash with another star Irish mare, Brighterdaysahead, at next weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival (DRF) in Leopardstown. Brighterdaysahead is a 5-1 third choice for Cheltenham behind The New Lion.
With significant rainfall expected this week, Gordon Elliott is leaning towards running his star novice Romeo Coolio over two miles in the Goffs Irish Arkle rather than against Final Demand in the longer Ladbrokes Novice Chase at the DRF.
“To be honest, if it keeps raining as it is, there is every chance he will turn up in the two-mile race. It’s spilling rain and they’ve given plenty more out in Ireland at the minute so it could be nice and testing.
“It would be a great race against Kopek Des Bordes, but at least then we would find out where we’re going in the future,” he said.
There is racing every day this week in Ireland on the run-up to the DRF action, although officials at Limerick are monitoring the situation there ahead of Tuesday’s scheduled card. Up to 12mm of rainfall is forecast to fall on ground that’s already heavy.
Before that, there is an all-hurdles programme at Punchestown on Monday where Willie Mullins has three runners that look to hold leading chances.
Leader D’allier is first up in the opening maiden hurdle and he should prove hard to beat on the back of his Irish debut over Christmas when proving no match for the impressive Ballyfad. Leader D’allier previously won a handful of bumper races in France.
