'A sorry affair' - Liam O'Brien hits out at non-trier ban after winning appeal

Trainer Liam O'Brien has described the decision by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board's officials to sanction him, jockey Ambrose McCurtin and No Memory under the non-triers' rule at Listowel a fortnight ago as "a sorry affair" after their respective appeals against the findings were successful.

After No Memory finished third at odds of 100-1 behind French Made in a 2m4f mares' hurdle, O'Brien was hit with a €2,000 fine by raceday officials, McCurtin was suspended for 14 days and No Memory banned from racing for 42 days.

McCurtin had held up his mount in the rear before making late progress to fill the frame in what was officially the best effort of her career. O'Brien described the decision as "scandalous" at the time and on Friday questioned the competency of the IHRB raceday professionals.

“It should never have happened," he said following Thursday's hearing. "We had a lot of evidence in our favour and, while it’s never going to be easy going before an appeals body, this was a pretty clear-cut case as far as we were concerned. We’re relieved to get it over the line.

“It’s very disappointing to be treated the way we were treated. We asked the chairman of stewards on the day if he could explain the sanctions to me after my horse ran the best race of her life. He said to me, ‘I don’t have to explain anything to you’. I found that astounding to be honest. Listening to that didn’t make it easy. It was a sorry affair.

“The slightest bit of analysis and you could see the mare put in a career-best performance. You just wonder about the IHRB officials. You can understand the stewards making a mistake as they may not be racing every day, but these officials, they should be absolutely up to speed. There are so many things that were missed it’s just hard to believe.”

Evidence was heard at the appeal by Sandy Shaw, the IHRB jumps handicapper, who revealed No Memory was raised 3lb to a rating of 118 for the run.

Shaw added the mare appeared to run to a higher rating than that but, given she had contested many handicaps before, he was happy that a 3lb rise was sufficient.

O'Brien was left in little doubt the strong early gallop played into the hands of those who came there late, and was disappointed the stewards could not see as much.

He said: "Form didn’t come into it. Ratings didn’t come into it. Neither did weights or even the pace of the race. I mean the pace of the race was unbelievable really. Even Willie Mullins, who won the race with French Maid, commented afterwards that the mare couldn’t keep up. It was an unmerciful gallop.

“You’d worry why you were singled out really. As far as we were concerned, our mare ran the best race of her life. It was obvious to everyone bar the stewards.”

No Memory is declared to run under McCurtin on Sunday, an engagement they can now take up.

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