'The allegations against me were entirely unfounded' - Noel Hayes speaks out after being named in IHRB investigation

Racehorse owner and industry figure Noel Hayes has hit out at the "entirely unfounded and misplaced" allegations levelled him at him by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) after it named him as "involved in the conspiracy" in an investigation report into the running of the Denis Hogan-trained Yuften at Dundalk in March 2020.

The Crowne Plaza Dundalk Claiming Race, on March 20, 2020, became notorious after the 92-rated Yuften drifted out to 6-4, having been as short as 2-5 earlier in the day, whereas stablemate Tony The Gent, who had been 11-4 and was rated 17lb inferior, was supported into 10-11 favouritism before scoring. Yuften was subsequently found to be lame by an IHRB veterinary officer. 

Last Friday, the referrals committee cleared Hogan, rider James J Doyle and gambler John O'Shea of all charges. The committee said it was unable to “adjudicate on the substance of the charges” due to the earlier decision of the IHRB not to present evidence following, it said, the delayed production of post-race veterinary evidence.

Hayes was named in the IHRB's investigation as being an associate of O'Shea and was alleged to have been involved in the "conspiracy" before the case against him was discontinued in September.

Having served as head of sportsbook with BoyleSports and BetBright and commercial director of Tote Ireland, Hayes has extensive experience within the betting industry and is head of betting at Belgian casino and sports-betting provider Gaming1.

He has also been involved in racehorse ownership and was a member of the Man About Town Syndicate which owned Our Conor before he was sold to Barry Connell after his Triumph Hurdle success in 2013.

Denis Hogan: the trainer of Yuften and Tony The GentCredit: Patrick McCann

After he was issued with the investigation report in April this year, Hayes's legal team requested clarification of the case being made against him in August in order to build a defence. However, Hayes said the IHRB elected not to supply him with the information until ordered to do so by the referrals committee.

Hayes said: "In March 2021 the IHRB engaged with me on this matter due to me having placed a bet on Tony The Gent in the race in question, and because I was known to other parties under investigation. These matters were never a point of dispute. At all times I was willing to co-operate and did, in fact, co-operate with this investigation in circumstances where I had done nothing wrong and had nothing to hide.

"In April 2023, having heard nothing from IHRB for a very considerable period, I was absolutely shocked to receive notice that I was being charged with breaches of the rules of the IHRB and that the matter was being referred to a referrals committee for hearing."

He said his legal team sought details and clarification of the case being made against him, including what he was alleged to have done to give rise to the charges, which he said were "totally unfounded and unsubstantiated".

He added: "The response of the IHRB to these repeated requests was that all the information they were required to provide was contained in an investigation report as provided to me on April 3, 2023.

"On August 24, 2023, at a pre-hearing directions meeting, my legal team submitted to the referrals committee that it was a matter of basic procedural fairness that the facts alleged against me be explicitly made known to me in order to allow my legal team to prepare my defence.

"My legal team further submitted that not to do so would be in breach of the rules of natural justice and Article 6 of the European Convention of Human Rights. The referrals committee ruled in favour of these submissions and directed the IHRB respond in full to me within 24 hours."

The IHRB sought an extension to deal with the request but eventually discontinued the case due to a lack of evidence.

He said: "At this point, the IHRB sought and were granted a deferral of the intended hearing before the referrals committee [due to commence on August 29, 2023] as they were not in a position to proceed and requested more time to deal with this request. This is despite the fact that the IHRB had a number of years to prepare its case. The IHRB was given a further eight days to respond in full to the submissions of my legal team.

"Some days later and, as justly anticipated by my legal representatives, we received notification from IHRB’s legal team that the IHRB was unable to particularise or produce evidence of any actions by me which would give rise to or warrant the charges and, on that basis, they were dropping all charges and allegations against me and that I was no longer subject to referral by the IHRB to hearing by a referrals committee."

Hayes claims the bet he placed on Tony The Gent to win the race in question was the 15th largest bet he had placed in the previous two-year period, while he maintains the allegations were "entirely unfounded and misplaced" from the outset and that the matter as a whole has come at "great personal expense".

Hayes said: "The bet was a bet to win and was the 15^th largest bet placed by me in the previous two-year period. The IHRB was the party who selected the prior two years as the period under consideration.

"This outcome was reached at great personal expense which totals far more than the very considerable financial costs I have borne.

"I'm deeply disappointed by the manner in which I was treated, particularly in light of the fact that I co-operated with the investigation conducted by the IHRB. The allegations against me were entirely unfounded and misplaced. I was advised from the outset that the case against me was frivolous and vexatious and should never have been brought. This transpires to be absolutely correct."

The IHRB was approached for comment.

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Denis Hogan cleared of all charges after committee unable to adjudicate due to IHRB's decision not to present evidence 

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