More allegations Horses for Courses

In an article by Paul Kimmage in the Sunday Independent, Michelle Shannon, who worked for Homer Scott for seven years, and David Mooney, one of his main owners, made allegations of alleged neglect and mistreatment of mares at Scott’s Lisheen Stud in County Kildare.

Early last year the Department of Agriculture served a notice under the Animal Health and Welfare Act on Scott. The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s chief veterinary officer Dr Lynn Hillyer led an unannounced IHRB visit to Lisheen on the day before the notice expired.

Scott subsequently quietly handed in his licence to train to the IHRB without sanction. Recently we have seen the IHRB suspend Ronan McNally for 12 years for multiple integrity breaches likely to bring racing into disrepute and in June 2012 Steven Mahon for four years for conduct injurious to the good reputation of horse racing.

As for these latest unproven allegations, it now seems that it’s over to the Department to take any action deemed required.

This weekend’s action

Horseracing this weekend starts today (Thursday) at Clonmel. First race is at 1.05 pm and features the Grade 3 Novice Hurdle.