The Turf Club has said trainers and jockeys need to get used to its "non-trier" rules after Aidan O'Brien failed in his appeal against sanctions for a Coolmore horse.
In what was widely regarded as a test of the new “running and riding” rules, a hearing at Turf Club headquarters on Monday resulted in a €2,000 fine and 42-day suspension from racing for Coolmore Stud-owned Music Box being confirmed. Jockey Wayne Lordan’s appeal against a five-day ban was also dismissed.
Music Box, which is owned by John Magnier and the other Coolmore partners, had finished third to her stable companion Asking on her debut at Dundalk last Sunday week, after which the racecourse stewards imposed penalties under two clauses of the amended Rule 212.
The bodies representing jockeys and trainers have expressed concern about the new rule which was introduced on January 21st.
Following Monday’s hearing, O’Brien said: “It’s just a very hard rule to make out and understand.”
Ireland’s champion trainer insisted during some occasionally tetchy exchanges that every horse he runs tries its best, and Lordan rode at his strongest in the finish of the race.
First race
O’Brien said Lordan did not use his whip because he had told him to avoid using it if possible on a horse running her first race. Both men were cleared of breaching another clause of the new rule in relation to schooling the horse.
The Music Box case was the eighth in relation to breaches of the “running and riding” rules since regulations were amended.
"The new rule is in, and the crossbar is now lower. There's a bedding-in period during which people will get used to it," the Turf Club's chief executive Denis Egan said. "I'm confident as jockeys and trainers get more used to it there will be less breaches.
“There are two points. Horses have to try and obtain their best possible placing, which was always the case. But now they also have to be seen to do it. That’s the fundamental difference.”
O'Brien, who trains at the Ballydoyle stables in Co Tipperary, and is champion flat trainer in both Ireland and Britain, indicated afterwards he would not take the matter further.
