Jockey Club Enquire Into Possible
Published: 6 September 2002
The Jockey Club is investigating the possibility that HARD TO LAY (IRE) has run at unrecognised race meetings in Ireland in between two spells of being in training in this country. The four year old filly was recently in training with Philip Hobbs and has run three times this National Hunt season, winning once at Stratford.
At present, HARD TO LAY (IRE) is registered in the name of Ms C Hehir. When the horse was in training with David Cosgrove last year the horse was registered in the name of Mr Liam Mulryan, understood to be the husband of Ms Hehir.
The Jockey Club has been in contact in Philip Hobbs and an official from the Jockey Club’s Security Department has visited Mr Cosgrove. The matter was brought to the attention of the Jockey Club earlier this week by Mr Cosgrove after he had been questioned by a newspaper reporter.
It is understood that HARD TO LAY (IRE) is no longer in training with Philip Hobbs.
6th September 2002
Notes for Editors:
1. Rule 181 (i) states that: A horse is not qualified to be entered or start for any race if it has run at any unrecognised meetings.
2. HARD TO LAY (IRE) went into training with Philip Hobbs on 5th June 2002. HARD TO LAY (IRE) left David Cosgrove on 20th July 2001.
3. HARD TO LAY (IRE) has raced three times for Philip Hobbs, including one victory in the Every Tuesday Business Life Novices’ Selling Hurdle at Stratford on 14th July 2002.
4. The last investigation into a ‘flapping’ incident was in 1995. A horse called Pretty Average won the Rocom Selling Handicap at Thirsk, trained by Basil Richmond and owned by Patricia Hamilton. It was subsequently found that this horse raced at flapping tracks under the name ‘Short and Sweet’ and owned by Jim McDonald, Patricia Hamilton’s partner. The same individuals were involved with a horse called Bluefaulds which raced at flapping tracks as Hotspur. At a Disciplinary Committee enquiry on 10th April 1996, Patricia Hamilton and Jim McDonald were both disqualified for 10 years each, and Pretty Average was disqualified from her victory at Thirsk.
