The way has been left open for Pyromaniac to run in Thursday's Guinness Galway Hurdle after trainer Tony Martin was granted a judicial review into the horse's 42 day ban from racing by the High Court on Monday.
A stay on the imposition of a 42 day ban confirmed by a Turf Club Referrals Committee hearing last Thursay has been imposed pending the judicial review. No date has been set for that review and the horse owned by Newtown Anner Stud is free to run in Thursday's €300,000 Galway festival feature.
Pyromaniac had received a 42 day ban under ‘non-trier’ rules at Killarney almost two weeks ago, a decision Martin appealed last Thursday when he produced new evidence about the horse’s teeth potentially impacting on his performance at Killarney where jockey Patrick McGuigan was banned for seven days.
Martin's €2,000 fine was lifted at that appeal but a new €1,000 fine was imposed under a different clause of the Turf Club's Rule 212. The 42 day ban on Pyromaniac was maintained however, a move Martin described as unfair on both the horse and the owner, Maurice Regan of Newtown Anner Stud.
Pyromaniac had been a general 10-1 shot for the Galway Hurdle before being removed from most ante-post lists.
