• UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
NewsExplored
  • UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

Sports

Gordon Elliott: Dead horse photo sees Irish trainer banned in Britain

Gordon Elliott: Dead horse photo sees Irish trainer banned in Britain
Newsexplored
1st March 2021
6
SHARES
ShareTweet
SubscribeRedditGoogleWhatsappStumbleuponPinterestDiggLinkedinTumblrTelegram
Views:
5
Trainer Gordon Elliott
Gordon Elliott has trained more than 140 winners this season and is second to Willie Mullins in the Irish trainers’ championship

Warning – this article contains an image that some people may find distressing

Leading Irish trainer Gordon Elliott has been temporarily banned from racing in Britain after being pictured sitting on a dead horse.

Elliott, 43, has apologised after the photograph circulated on social media.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) has started an investigation and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has banned him until it is completed.

“It is an interim decision which the BHA regards as proportionate in these circumstances,” it said.

Elliott, who is licensed in Ireland, is one of the sport’s most successful trainers after numerous triumphs at the Grand National and Cheltenham Festival.

Cheltenham, which is the pinnacle of jump racing and where Elliott finished as the leading trainer in 2017 and 2018, starts on 16 March.

Elliott has also won the Grand National three times, including twice with Tiger Roll. The Aintree festival takes place on 8-10 April.

Elliott said in a statementexternal-link that he took a phone call and sat down on the horse “without thinking”, adding the image was taken “some time ago”.

On Monday, he told the Racing Postexternal-link it was “indefensible” and that he was prepared for any punishment from the racing authorities.

“It was a moment of madness that I am going to have to spend the rest of my life paying for and that my staff are suffering for,” he said.

data-ad-format="auto">

The BHA said it was “appalled” by the photograph and that Elliott’s behaviour “deeply undermined” the industry’s welfare values.

“We can’t say we’re looking after horses and giving them dignity when we’re clearly not,” eight-time champion jump jockey Peter Scudamore told BBC Sport’s Laura Scott.

“There are people out there who don’t like the sport and I can’t argue with them when I see a picture like that.”

Asked to recall his reaction to seeing the image, 62-year-old Scudamore added: “It just hit the bottom of my stomach.


“I think everybody in racing I know hoped it was fake, and then there was a slow realisation that it’s not a fake. It’s desperate sadness on so many fronts.

“It is just such an appalling image and I’m very sad about it. It was an act of crass stupidity.”

‘We need to give dignity back to the horses’

Scudamore said he did not want to speculate on what he thought would be suitable punishment for Elliott, although there have been calls from some for the authorities to ban the Irishman.

The BHA’s interim move has put Elliott’s participation at the upcoming Cheltenham and Grand National meetings in doubt.

Owners of horses currently trained by Elliott are allowed to transfer them to a different trainer and run them at a British meeting “providing they comply with the relevant rules”.

“I can’t see a round of applause if his horse comes into a winners’ enclosure,” added Scudamore, who is now the assistant to leading trainer Lucinda Russell.

“Let’s have an act of contrition, a massive donation to a horse charity. I don’t know. I hardly know Gordon Elliott, but I don’t think revenge is the answer.

“I just want some good to come out of it, give the dignity back to these creatures.”

Peter Scudamore
Peter Scudamore rode 1,678 winners during a 15-year career as a jockey and was made an MBE for his services to the sport

Elliott, who is based in County Meath, has apologised “profoundly” for the photograph.

“I can categorically state that the welfare of each and every horse under my care is paramount and has been central to the success that we have enjoyed,” he said.

“The photo in question was taken some time ago and occurred after a horse had died of an apparent heart attack on the gallops.

“At what was a sad time, which it is when any horse under my care passes away, my initial reaction was to get the body removed from where it was positioned.

“I was standing over the horse waiting to help with the removal of the body, in the course of which, to my memory I received a call and, without thinking, I sat down to take it. Hearing a shout from one of my team, I gestured to wait until I was finished.

“Such background information may seem trivial at this time and will not allay the concerns of many people both within and outside the world of horse racing.”

An edited version of an image of Gordon Elliott released by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board
An edited version of an image of Gordon Elliott released by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board

What has been the reaction?

Michael O’Leary has said Gigginstown, who own Tiger Roll and a number of other horses trained by Elliott, will “continue to support him and his team, as they work to recover from this deeply regrettable incident”.

He says the photo is “unacceptable” and “grievous” but calls it a “momentary lapse of judgement”, adding “we all make mistakes” and that Gigginstown accepts Elliott’s apology.

Cheveley Park Stud, who own several horses trained by Elliott including the unbeaten Envoi Allen, say they are “truly horrified” by the photo but will not comment further until the investigation by the IHRB is over.

The Jockey Club, which owns Cheltenham and Aintree racecourses, said: “Clearly this is totally unacceptable and not reflective of the respect and care that racehorses receive from participants in our sport.

“The anger and upset across racing says it all. We understand the authorities are reviewing this as a matter of urgency.”

Betfair said on Monday it had chosen to end its relationship with Elliott, who had been an ambassador for the betting company.

“While we recognise that Gordon deeply regrets and apologised unreservedly for his poor judgement, his actions are completely at odds with the values of the Betfair brand and that of our employees,” a Betfair spokesperson told the BBC. “With that in mind, we have decided to discontinue our association with Gordon with immediate effect.”

The charity World Horse Welfare said: “This photo looks abhorrent. We understand the trainer has apologised and there is an investigation ongoing.”

Great British Racing, the promotional body of British racing, said: “Respect for our horses is at the heart of everything that we stand for in British racing and the shocking image is counter to that and betrays the work of thousands of people loving and caring for our horses on a daily basis – we condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”

An IHRB spokesman said on Sunday: “The investigation is ongoing and will be dealt with as quickly as possible.”

Horse Racing Ireland also condemned the picture and supported the IHRB investigation, adding: “From a disciplinary perspective, the matter is in process, so any further comment on the matter or the detail of the case at this time would not be appropriate.”

Around the BBC - SoundsAround the BBC footer - Sounds

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Itemsbannedelliottgordonhorseirishphototrainer
Sports
1st March 2021
Newsexplored @newsexploredweb

Related Itemsbannedelliottgordonhorseirishphototrainer

More in Sports

  • Read More
    Garth Crooks’ team of the week: Johnstone, Alexander-Arnold, Dallas, Lingard, Pulisic, Saint-Maximin

    Views:5 Manchester City suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat against Leeds and Manchester United are now 11...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
  • Read More
    Brighton 0-0 Everton: Seagulls edge towards Premier League survival with goalless draw

    Views:5 Neal Maupay had two of the game’s best chances Brighton edged a point closer to Premier...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
  • Read More
    West Brom: VAR unable to find conclusive angle for offside ‘goal’

    Views:5 Replays suggested Mbaye Diagne (left) may have been onside when he scored, with team-mate Kyle Bartley...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
  • Read More
    West Brom 3-0 Southampton: Baggies beat Saints for second straight win

    Views:5 Matt Phillips doubled West Brom’s lead with just his second goal of the season West Brom...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
  • Read More
    McGregor v Poirier 3: Conor McGregor tells Dustin Poirier trilogy fight is ‘off’

    Views:5 Poirier secured a TKO win over McGregor in the second round of their January rematch Conor...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
  • Read More
    England v Canada: Lucy Bronze doubtful for friendly

    Views:5 Bronze won best women’s player at Fifa’s 2020 awards Date: Tuesday 13 April Kick-off: 19:15 BST...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
  • Read More
    Prince Philip: EFL, Premiership Rugby and horse racing schedules moved to avoid clash with funeral

    Views:5 There was a two-minute silence before all of this weekend’s games in the EFL and players...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
  • Read More
    British Judo conducting investigation into coach arrests

    Views:5 British Judo is investigating a number of cases in which coaches have been arrested for sexual...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
  • Read More
    Tottenham to hold review after Son Heung-min suffers racist abuse

    Views:5 Son Heung-min scored the opening goal of the game in his side’s 3-1 defeat by Manchester...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
  • Read More
    Shaunagh Brown column: England will rise to the occasion in the Women’s Six Nations final

    Views:5 In her second BBC Sport column of the 2021 Women’s Six Nations, England prop Shaunagh Brown...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
  • Read More
    Masters 2021: Hideki Matsuyama claims one-shot victory at Augusta National

    Views:5 Hideki Matsuyama becomes the first Japanese man to win a major -10 H Matsuyama (Jpn); -9...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
  • Read More
    Sheffield United 0-3 Arsenal: Gabriel Martinelli scores in deserved Gunners win

    Views:5 Lacazette’s goals were his 12th and 13th in the Premier League this season and his fourth...

    Newsexplored 1st March 2021
Scroll for more
Tap
data-ad-format="auto">
NewsExplored

NewsExplored - Making sure all the latest news is explored?

Contact us for help

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • Comments

  • The UK professor and the fake Russian agent
    UK26th March 2021
  • Atlanta spa shootings: How we talk about violence
    USA19th March 2021
  • Deshaun Watson: Houston Texans quarterback being investigated by police amid 21 civil lawsuits
    USA3rd April 2021
  • Arsenal 0-3 Liverpool: Diogo Jota scores twice in Premier League win
    Sports3rd April 2021
  • Tiger Woods car crash: Golfing great drove at almost double the speed limit
    USA7th April 2021
  • Georgia voting: Fact-checking claims about the new election law
    USA7th April 2021
  • Deshaun Watson: Houston Texans quarterback being investigated by police amid 21 civil lawsuits
    USA3rd April 2021
  • Derek Chauvin trial: Why role of TV cameras could come into focus
    USA28th March 2021
  • Les Rehrer says:

    Hello Its me :P and thanks for this post

  • optumrx login says:

    Thank For News.

  • Kent Laatsch says:

    Please let me know if you're looking for a writer…

  • Bob says:

    RT News was where I learned that Erdogan controlled isis.…

Copyright © 2018 Top News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress.

Gordon Elliott: The extraordinary rise and fall of Grand National-winning racehorse trainer
Premier League referees: Time to mic up officials, says Chris Sutton
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok