Probes into successful gambles may leave regulator just whistling in the wind

There are four investigations into successful gambles pending with the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board at this point in time.

The first relates to the former Denis Hogan-trained pair Tony The Gent and Yuften, both of whom performed in keeping with alarming market expectations rather than official ratings when the former readily justified heavy support at the expense of his stablemate in a Dundalk claimer. That was in March 2020, yet there is still no sign of white smoke.

Dreal Deal’s case is but a pup by comparison, although he has the distinction of twice being referred on for investigation after improving dramatically for – to paraphrase Fran Berry – the application of cash at Navan in September. When Ronan McNally’s horse translated that improved form on to the Flat at Limerick at odds of 4-6 three weeks later, the stewards on duty there mirrored that escalation.