“Have the Irish authorities finally grown a spine and had enough of this gruesome operation? Even if we accept the official explanation that he did not jump off at Wexford last year, it should have been possible to say that ride was incompetent as well.”
The late removal of blindfolds is common place and horses running with blindfolds still on is not unheard of. I can’t recall any jockey being penalised for these offences. According to the BHA 100% of instances of this happening are totally unavoidable and/or accidental. Surely some should qualify for careless riding.
What better way of stopping a horse, than removing the blindfold late and be guaranteed to get away with it scot free.