Limerick's jumps card on Thursday goes ahead after passing morning inspection

Limerick's meeting on Thursday evening will go ahead as planned after the track passed its morning inspection.

Officials had called a 9am raceday check due to fears the ground would be too dry, despite watering, following less than expected rainfall. However the track is fit for racing with the going described as good, with more water still being applied to the course.

The seven-race jumps card card begins at 5.15, with six hurdle contests and a bumper completing the action.

Rothwell and King winners disqualified after testing positive for prohibited substances

Philip Rothwell's November Fairyhouse winner Duffys Getaway has been disqualified after testing positive for the banned substance triamcinolone acetonide (TCA), and the trainer fined a total of €1,750 that included a sanction for failing to maintain an up-to-date veterinary medicines register.

Duffys Getaway, who is owned by JP McManus, won a handicap hurdle by a wide margin on November 7 and followed up in even more emphatic style at Punchestown a month later. However, he has now been stripped of the first of those after an Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board referrals panel convened last week to hear the case into the positive test.

Rothwell told the panel that Duffys Getaway had been treated by his own local vet and Fethard Equine Hospital for an issue with his sacroiliac joint. Both practices administered TCA, a commonly used corticosteroid anti-inflammatory medication, and the trainer stated he had followed the advice of a 42-day withdrawal period. The panel advised that, in the circumstances, he should have considered an elective test. 

Aengus King has also had his winner at Cork in April of last year, Miss Cunning, disqualified after she tested positive for harpagoside, the main active constituent of harpagophytum procumbens, better known as Devil’s Claw, an unlicensed herbal remedy that is recognised for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. 

King told the panel that it had been given to Miss Cunning in error when two feeds were mixed up. He was fined a total of €3,500, including fines for failing to main a medicines register and failing to display the staff bonus agreement. 

Denis Hogan's successful appeal against the decision of the Down Royal stewards not to promote Benjis Benefit to first after he had been hampered by Tell Us This has also been confirmed, while Paul Townend's appeal against his four-day careless riding ban on State Man in winning the Boodles Champion Hurdle at Punchestown was dismissed. 

Corinthian riders confirmed for Irish Injured Jockeys fundraiser

Fourteen amateur jockeys have been announced for the Corinthian Challenge Charity Race which concludes the Curragh card on July 21.

The challenge previously involved multiple races across the summer and autumn but this year it will consist of one race at the Curragh. Each rider is tasked to raise €3,000 for Irish Injured Jockeys.

Actor Brian Mulvey, who appeared in the film Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, is among the 14 hopefuls, as is Joanne Quirke, wife of top professional Flat jockey Gary Carroll.

Also set to compete are Jenny Fitzsimons, Diane Scannell, Suzy Quirke, Bridget Speirs, Heather MacKenzie, Ryan Sands, Megan O’Leary, Alanna O’Donoghue, Stephanie Carter, Conor O’Hara, Paddy Woods, and Niamh Byrne.

Michael Higgins, the general manager of Irish Injured Jockeys, said: “Building up on the past success of the Corinthian Challenge, we aimed to enhance its appeal for participants, spectators, and the media to engage with this year. 

"We extend our gratitude to this year’s challengers for their significant commitment to participating and fundraising for IIJ."

To learn more about each rider and contribute, visit https://corinthianchallenge.com/.

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