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No they haven’t. Rob James is banned for 4 months, GE 6. That’s a 50% increase in GEs ban.
Gordon also incurred €15K fees and has lost over €1m of bloodstock talent from his yard. His reputation is battered and his chances of ever winning the trainer championship (his dream) have been put back 10 steps. Nevermind potential loss of prize-money from the 6 months whilst he’s banned (you can argue this point, granted).
Every banned trainer still trains their horses, Ruby. That’s the reality of it, from Nicky Henderson caught doping the Jelly Beans horse to Karl Burke training under the license of his wife.
You’re right about the bloodstock talent, Kev. But considering that Rob James was “only” 23 at the time of the photograph, it could be rather considered as a “juvenile offence”. Elliott however was a grown man of 41 years and yet he lied about the time his picture was taken.
I would rather forgive Rob James than GE.
But, let’s start concentrating about the Festival. It’s no use trying to defend both of them any longer as the verdicts have been spoken and I guess the future will tell us what both of them have learned from their misbehaviours.
The IHRB has confirmed that a referrals hearing will take place after the conclusion of another investigation into who took the controversial photo of Elliott in 2019. No date has yet been set for that.
Egan of the IHRB has said this morning “Gordon is not supposed to be involved in training.” And “… in relation to the day-to-day training, Denise is responsible for everything that goes on up there and she’s given a commitment to that effect.”
But without enforcement we all know that this aspect of Elliott’s punishment is a sham and it looks like the BHA is going to go along with it.
I think it is highly unlikely the BHA is going to ban a lot of the best horses from running at the Festival. Why would it want to aggravate owners who have had nothing to do with the offence? If I was one of the owners who was adversely affected, I would look into the possibility of legal action against the BHA.
As i posted previously, if Gordon Elliot had co-operated fully with the IHRB, as he said he has, why don’t they already know who the others in the photo are?
DiamondGeezer, you are a better man than me as i just looked on the IHRB website (awful) and can’t find a thing, where was it? thanksThe IHRB looking into who took the photo is a smoke screen.
The person who took the photo wasn’t doing anything wrong, the person sitting on a dead horse having a laugh and joke was the person who did wrong.
You’re right Wexfordman it’s between GE’s disrespectful decision to sit on Morgan and not who took the photo but whoever circulated it just weeks prior to the Cheltenham Festival when it would do, and has done, maximum damage. Maybe this is the ‘Sinister’ aspect mentioned in the Report.
Anyway I agree with Ruby it is time to move away from this and concentrate on the horses and what a lovely story in the Racing Post this morning about Envoi Allen’s groom Seainin Mahon being invited by his new trainer Henry de Bromhead to lead up her beloved charge at the Festival next week, she has also been to visit him at the yard over the weekend. Wonder if this might mean she will be leaving her job anytime soon to be with him, it wouldn’t be a surprise if HDB invited her to do so.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...I am disgusted with the way NH Racing has handled this. I deplore ‘Hunting’ in fact. But I love Jumps Racing. I wish the term ‘National Hunt’ could be sacked off.
I wish I could give the whole thing up as a disgrace, but in reality I cannot wait for the Arkle and Champion Hurdle in particular. So, in summary, I am a huge hypocrite. I don’t know what to make of that myself to be honest.
Agreed Triptych, I thoroughly welcomed the tale regarding Miss Mahon. Terrific stuff. What racing should be all about.
BUY THE SUN
Considering Rob James is primarily a point to point jockey, so with point to points being banned under covid rules for the next couple of months at least in Ireland, why ban him at all when he won’t be able to ride anyway ? Surely if you are going to ban someone it should be from when racing resumes.
The mare in the Rob James incident has been named as Three Hail Marys.
Have just put her name into our Memorials Section so she will never be forgotten.
JacThings turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...You can’t have things both ways, “jumps” as you might want to call it is inextricably linked with hunting and always will be. Same as people who hate hare coursing but who are happy to have a night out and back a greyhound at Kilcohan Park or Shelbourne Park.
Perhaps it’s time for multi-million pound industries that employ thousands, and depend on public support, to look at developing a more robust model for career progression, rather than relying on illegal activities guaranteed to alienate the majority of the population.
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