IHRB

Veterinary regulatory and analytical experts gathered this week in Dublin for the biennial European Horserace Scientific Liaison Committee (EHSLC) conference.  Hosted by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, the conference began on Tuesday and concluded on Thursday and consisted of various working parties who held lengthy discussions relating to their expertise within the regulatory framework.  Delegates of racing regulators in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, Norway and Sweden were present, while members of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), the Japanese Racing Association (JRA), the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU)...

A new equine anti-doping and medication control initiative was announced by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) on Thursday. The initiative underpins their commitment to the regulation of medicine use and zero tolerance of doping in horse racing on both sides of the Irish Sea. The IHRB and BHA are now formally conducting joint out-of-competition-testing operations across both jurisdictions. These inspections started this week with almost 250 samples taken from more than 120 horses that are entered for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival in an...

The final race of this year's three-race Corinthian Challenge is set to take place at Leopardstown on Saturday, Oct. 21. The Corinthian Challenge Charity Race Series provides aid to Injured Irish Jockeys and has raised in excess of €500,000 since its inception in 2016. Corinthians participate in three races during the course of the challenge, each time at a different racecourse. Kildare man Damien Moore is currently on top of the leaderboard with 17 points, followed by Michael O'Neill and Martina Dempsey with 10 points each and Katy Brown and...

Trainer Luke Comer has had his licence suspended for three years over positive drugs tests and ordered to pay over €750,000 in costs by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB). The billionaire owner-trainer, who is also a major sponsor of Irish racing under the Comer Group banner, has seven days to lodge an appeal.  The suspension will begin on January 1, 2024, and is the result of a long-running investigation carried out by the IHRB, with the regulator describing the case as "unprecedented".  As well as being ordered to pay...

Entries are now open for Irish EBF Barrier Trials, which will be held at Dundalk Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Trials are open to unraced 2- and 3-year-olds and return to Dundalk for the first time since August, 2022. They will be contested over five, six and seven furlongs. The most recent Irish EBF Barrier Trials, held at Naas Racecourse in May, have already produced multiple winners, including Royal Ascot winner Snellen (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}), listed winner Warnie (Ire) (Highland Root {Ire}), group-placed Mythology (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), and multiple...

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board [IHRB] revealed to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday morning that its chief financial officer Donal O'Shea is taking what the organisation described as "voluntary leave" after serious financial irregularities came to light this week.  The news was delivered by the IHRB chief Darragh O'Loughlin, who was before the PAC to discuss the circumstances around the early retirement of his predecessor Denis Egan and other costs. However, O'Loughlin dropped the bombshell news in his opening statement, and revealed that in preparation for his meeting...

Trainer Ronan McNally lost his appeal against his disqualification for breaching racing's integrity rules, however, was granted a four-year reprieve from his original record 12-year suspension. The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) published the verdict of an appeals body panel Wednesday evening. The panel was chaired by Justice Peter Kelly. The suspension of the final four years of the disqualification is contingent on adhering to the rules, a breach of which would reinstate the full sentence. McNally's penalties-including the 12-year suspension, charges of €50,000 and the return of €13,000 in...

Entries are now open for the Irish EBF Barrier Trials at Naas Racecourse scheduled for Monday, May 29. The trials, restricted to unraced juveniles and 3-year-olds, are operated by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) and backed by the Irish European Breeders' Fund (IEBF) and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB). The 2023 edition will be back on turf for the first time since 2019, and all the trials will be conducted over six and seven furlongs. Notable graduates of the trials include Group 1 winner A Case Of You (Ire) (Hot...

Trainer Charles Byrnes was hit with a massive €6,000 fine under the non-triers' rule following the running of Ellaat (GB) (Heeraat {Ire}) in a low-grade handicap on the Flat at Gowran Park on Wednesday evening. He was found to have breached the Rule 212A (i) by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) stewards who also slapped his jockey Gearoid Brouder with a 21-day suspension. Ellaat was also banned from running for 90 days. It is not the first time the multiple Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer has felt the wrath of Irish...

Official Starter for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, Joe Banahan is hugely passionate about breeding, and from a small but select broodmare band, his family have enjoyed notable success on the Flat from their Moortown House Stud base near Navan. Joe's parents Percy and Elaine have recently passed away but, along with his wife Edel, he has carried on the proud family tradition in breeding. In this week's Starfield Stud-sponsored Q&A, Banahan, a former jockey, reveals how he became infatuated with breeding, what he aims to achieve from Moortown House...

Trainer Ronan McNally has been disqualified from Irish racing for 12 years, charged €50,000 in costs and ordered to return over €13,000 in prize-money after being found guilty of multiple sanctions by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.  McNally was found to have conspired with fellow trainer David Dunne to conceal his ownership of Full Noise and All Class, for which, Dunne has been hit with a two-year ban for bringing racing into disrepute.  Dunne was also handed a €5,000 fine and ordered to forfeit his prize-money which was deemed to...

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has issued an apology to trainer Paddy Twomey, jockey Wayne Lordan and owner Robert Moran over an error to the weighing out process of Rosscarbery (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) that led to the filly being disqualified from finishing third in the G1 Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh back in June. Rosscarbery justified Twomey's decision to supplement at a cost of €30,000 for that Group 1 contest when running a gallant third behind stablemate La Petite Coco (Ire) (Ruler Of The World).  However, she...