HRI circles wagons in support of Kavanagh and Keeling

The political landscape of Irish racing remained uncertain last night after the board of Horse Racing Ireland presented a united front in a statement that backed both its CEO Brian Kavanagh and chairman Joe Keeling following an EGM to discuss the controversy over Kavanagh's reappointment.

In Dail Eireann, where the minister for agriculture Michael Creed was due to be challenged by fellow TDs at an agriculture committee meeting over his role in Kavanagh's reappointment for an unprecedented third term as CEO of a state body, the order of business was delayed owing to the backlog following the summer recess.

However, at the earlier EGM in HRI's headquarters near the Curragh racecourse, Keeling explained to the board that he hadn't intended to mislead or undermine either it or the two government ministers whom he lobbied to ensure Kavanagh would be reinstated.