Joe Foley Named New Irish EBF Chairman

Joe Foley of Ballyhane Stud has been named the new Chairman of the Irish European Breeders' Fund at the organisation's annual general meeting, while Tom Gaffney of Castlehyde Stud is the new Deputy Chairman. On the Board of the Irish EBF since 2002 as a governor, Foley was appointed to the Deputy Chairman role in 2017. He replaces outgoing Chairman John O'Connor of Ballylinch Stud. Gaffney has served on the Irish EBF for 21 years representing Coolmore Stud and also has a wealth of experience from his role as Chairman of Cork Racecourse.

Joe Foley, Chairman, Irish EBF said, “The Irish EBF board will be forever grateful to John O'Connor for his leadership, dedication, diligence and fairness over the last 10 years in his role as Irish EBF Chairman. He continually upheld the ethos of the Irish EBF and represented the board both at home and at a European level to the highest standards. He gave his time voluntarily to deal with EBF matters and always deliberated with both the small and large stallion owner in mind. He is passing on the leadership of the Irish EBF in very good health and we are delighted that he is staying on the board to help guide us into the future.”

Tom Gaffney, Deputy Chairman, Irish EBF added, “I see first-hand how racecourses benefit from Irish EBF race sponsorship which greatly enhance the race-day programme with added benefits for owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff. I am looking forward to working with Joe on Irish EBF matters and continuing the great work carried out over the last number of years.”

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Entries Open for Irish EBF Barrier Trials

Entries are now open for the next session of Irish EBF Barrier Trials at Dundalk Stadium Aug. 18. Operated by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) and backed by Irish EBF and the IHRB, the trials are open to unraced 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds. Recent notable Trial graduates include G3 Gordon S. winner Ottoman Emperor (Ire) and listed Yeomanstown Stud Irish EBF S. winner Wren's Breath (Ire).

Trials, contested over five to seven furlongs, are recorded, timed, and made available to view online shortly after running on the ITM website and social media. A live stream will also be in operation on the ITM YouTube channel. For more information, click here.

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IHRB Defends Its Actions in Irish Government Hearings

The first hearing of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board in front of a Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine began in Ireland on Thursday, with the IHRB defending itself rigorously. The IHRB has come under pressure recently regarding concerns over doping in Irish racing following Irish trainer Jim Bolger's claims in a newspaper interview that there would be a “Lance Armstrong” moment in the Irish industry. Irish Government committee members asked questions of Horse Racing Ireland's Chief Executive Brian Kavanagh, IHRB Chief Executive Denis Egan and IHRB Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Lynn Hillyer. The meeting began with an opening statement from Kavanagh.

He stated in part the vital nature of horse racing to Ireland's economy and “as such, the reputation and integrity of the product is of paramount importance, so the issue of drug testing is an important one with significant funds invested annually in this area.

“HRI sees its role as ensuring that the IHRB has sufficient resources, both financial, human and capital to carry out its responsibilities to the level expected of a major racing nation–and we support the IHRB to constantly improve their capacity in this area.”

Kavanagh also cited the increased spending on testing, which has spread to all winners in Ireland, as well as more out-of-competition testing at a variety of venues.

He said, “Spending on doping control has increased by 27% in the last four years, and Horse Racing Ireland has advised the IHRB that funding will never be an issue for meaningful initiatives to improve capability or increase capacity in this area.”

Egan, who recently announced he was taking early retirement, stated, “The IHRB's Equine Anti-Doping programme has developed into a sophisticated and extensive risk-based and intelligence-led strategy, in which it is not just the numbers of samples which matter but from what horse they are taken, where and when.

“Any information received by us is assessed, categorised and actioned as appropriate. It is vitally important to the IHRB that those directly and indirectly involved in the industry understand this and the fact that they can provide any information to us in a confidential manner via the confidential hotline, email or by contacting our officials.”

He added, “We have a top-class anti-doping team headed up by Dr. Lynn Hillyer–and while we continue to evidence that there is no systematic attempt to cheat through doping in Irish racing, we will continue, with the assistance of the industry and those outside, to effectively detect, disrupt and deter such behaviour. It will not be tolerated–we will continue to seek it out–and where discovered, we will take all actions within our power to combat it without fear or favour.”

Dr. Hillyer reinforced Egan's statements and said, “The process is very simple. The information can come in via a number of routes, but once it lands on a desk it is dealt with. We don't care how it comes in, but the important thing is that it comes in. We need to differentiate between information coming in and hearsay. I'm not saying we disregard either, but we have to process it and assess it–that is basically converting information into intelligence, and we work very closely with the BHA now. Every piece of information is logged.

“One of the things that rankled the most reading the piece last week was the six horses sold from Ireland to the UK who were alleged to have traces of anabolic steroids. We were alleged to be doing nothing about it, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The minute that information came to the BHA they acted on it and communicated with us–we were across it and we were prepared to act.

“They did the most extensive piece of work I think I've ever seen. They analysed tail hair, mane hair–they analysed samples repeatedly, and there was nothing.”

Not all of the pertinent questions were asked in the two-hour limit, so another meeting has been called for July 20. In addition, on July 13, the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association and representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine will also meet.

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150-1 Outsider Becomes Highest-Priced Irish Grand National Winner In History

Bob Dylan once wrote “If You Gotta Go, Go Now,” and that's exactly what Rickie Doyle did to upset the odds to claim BoyleSports Irish Grand National success at Fairyhouse.

The 150-1 outsider Freewheelin Dylan was considered nothing more than an also-ran heading into Monday's main event, with all eyes on Bryan Cooper on Latest Exhibition and Run Wild Fred under Jack Kennedy before the race kicked off.

But the rest of the field were left 'Blowin' in the Wind' as the longer the race went on, with Doyle holding his nerve to steer the rank outsider to success on the highest stage.

With just seven victories in a four-year career before the Easter Monday meet, very few knew much about the Dermot McLoughlin's steed heading into the main event, but the 47-year-old was the coolest man in the house as his colt turned the final corner in front.

“I was fairly relaxed about it to be honest, I was enjoying it up there because it was nice to see a horse jump fences like that, it was great,” McLoughlin said.

“I said to the lads we better start cheering turning into the straight, because I knew he'd stay going.

“I said to Ricky get him up front, and jumping is his forte so use him up, I was a bit concerned abut not getting the run but it went to plan.”

The Irish Grand National is an event that the McLoughlin household has long since left a legacy on, with Dermot's father Liam claiming success on Tom Dreaper-trained Kerforo back in 1962.

And over half a century later it was his son watching on from the sidelines as Doyle kept the field at bay to produce the biggest upset in the showpiece event in living history – and McLoughlin was pleased to do his father proud with the win.

“It was 59 years ago that he won it, and this was the race I always wanted to win because I always wanted to follow in his footsteps.”

In the day's other action, Donagh Meyler got the first win of the day at Fairyhouse, as he marauded his way to the front of the pack to take the spoil in the Farmhouse Foods Novice Handicap Hurdle on top of Shanroe.

Keith Donohue set the pace early on with You Say Nothing, but the six-year-old was unable to keep the lead heading into the final stages, with Karl Thornton's stable star romping to an early success in Monday's action.

Sean Flanagan and Jeff Kidder did it again in the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Juvenile Hurdle, with the duo adding to their 80-1 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle win at Cheltenham with another scintillating win over heavy favourite Teahupoo.

All eyes are heading towards Punchestown at the end of the month for Noel Meade's star performer, with the trainer reaping the rewards after using him sparingly since the Boxing Day meet at Leopardstown.

“We gave him a break over Christmas but I was actually worried to leave him off too long, but it's worked out perfect,” Meade said.

“He seemed very weak last season as a three-year-old, but he seems to be getting stronger.

“If he never does anymore he's done a lot, but I can't see any reason why he wouldn't go to Punchestown now.”

There were also wins for Denis O'Regan's ride Max Flamingo in the Fairyhouse Steel Handicap Hurdle, as well as Willie Mullins' Stormy Ireland in the Underwriting Exchange Hurdle.

It was a quick-fire double for Mullins in the middle stretch of the day, as Brain Hayes stormed to victory on Easy Game in the Devenish Chase, before Uisce Beatha took victory in the last race of the day under Simon Torrens.

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