Michael Kinane, one of Ireland's most successful jockeys, will after all ride Galileo in this afternoon's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes after securing a dramatic High Court injunction against a Turf Club suspension yesterday.
Kinane went to the High Court after his appeal against a two-day riding ban, which would have stopped him riding Galileo at Ascot, was dismissed by racing's regulatory body.
It is the latest twist in a sporting saga that began with the jockey's original suspension 10 days ago, an adjournment of his subsequent appeal on Thursday, when two witnesses failed to turn up, and what seemed a final dismissal of that appeal yesterday.
Accompanied by Senior Counsel Ercus Stewart, a grim- faced Kinane left the Turf Club at lunchtime, choosing not to comment to reporters after almost three hours in front of the stewards.
However, that was not the end of the matter, and the multi-champion jockey's dramatic legal move allows him to ride the dual-Derby winner, who is a red-hot 8 to 15 favourite to maintain an unbeaten record in the £750,000 King George.
Kinane's solicitor, Andrew Coonan, said the interim injunction had been sought "because of the failure of the Turf Club's appeals and referrals committee to adopt the appropriate and agreed procedures in determining the appeal of Michael Kinane".
Coonan added his client was "relatively pleased" with the decision of Judge McCracken to grant the injunction, a move which allows Kinane to maintain his association with Galileo, who he has ridden to win the Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby.
The horse is owned by the Coolmore Stud supremo John Magnier and the French-based businessman, Michael Tabor, and is trained by Aidan O'Brien in Tipperary. O'Brien said: "Obviously Mick knows the horse so it's great that he is riding him."
Coonan added that the High Court hearing, which will determine if Kinane is to have a re-hearing of his appeal at the Turf Club, won't be held until August 15th, which leaves the way clear for the jockey to ride today.
One notable loser in the affair is Kinane's colleague, John Murtagh, who gave evidence at the Turf Club appeal. Murtagh was widely expected to substitute on Galileo if Kinane could not ride. Two other jockeys, Niall McCullagh and Declan McDonogh, also gave evidence, having failed to appear at the original hearing on Thursday.
Denis Brosnan has been appointed the chairman of the new Horse Racing Ireland board announced by the minister for Agriculture Joe Walsh yesterday.
The current chairman of the Irish Racehorsing Authority has retained his position at the top of the table that will contain 13 others.
