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19 Jan 24
17:08
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Date Joined:
10 Oct 02
Just won that with the reserve at 130 - I had the fav with his other horse forecast - never even noticed a reserve and thought I had it because of the colours - THEY are really having it off - wow!
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What?! No comment on the Reserve winning at 130 - or does no-one bet on the Irish racing?
You want to hear about Luke Comer......
Brian O'Connor
Sun Sep 17 2023 - 16:05
Billionaire businessman Luke Comer has claimed to have already spent €1.4 million fighting Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) charges that last week culminated in him being banned from training for three years after 12 of his horses tested positive for anabolic steroids.
The cost is likely to only increase after Comer indicated he will appeal the decision that also saw him pick up fines totalling €85,000 with legal costs to the IHRB of more than €750,000.
In the most extensive drugs scandal in Irish racing history, a dozen of the Monaco-based businessman’s horses tested positive for the steroids methandienone and methyltestosterone after the IHRB carried out unannounced testing at Comer’s stables in Kiltiernan in 2021.
Comer denied wrongdoing by either himself or his staff during a nine-day hearing in May, details of which were published last Thursday. An IHRB referrals committee panel failed to establish how the substances got into the horses and found there was no evidence of deliberate doping.
However, as the licence holder, Comer was held responsible, despite telling the panel he spends just three months of the year in Ireland.
The man who co-founded the Comer Group, one of Europe’s biggest property firms, told the Sunday Independent he is “entirely innocent” and will appeal. Any appeal will have to be lodged by Wednesday. His ban is due to start on January 1st. Considering the unprecedented scale of the rule breaches, and Comer’s reported wealth, there has been some criticism of the relative leniency of the penalties imposed.
Earlier this year Co Armagh-based permit holder Ronan McNally received a record 12-year disqualification after a lengthy IHRB investigation into the improvement in the form of some of his horses at the centre of high-profile gambles.
Former Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni was banned for eight years by the British racing authorities in 2013 after admitting to giving anabolic steroids to 15 horses.
After stressing the independent nature of the referrals committee headed by Mr Justice Brian McGovern, IHRB chief executive Darragh O’Loughlin said on Sunday that direct administration had not been demonstrated in the Comer case.
Given the likelihood of an appeal, it’s a case that could proceed for some time yet and that may mean the January 1st start to Comer’s ban being deferred. The nature of any appeal, whether it is against the severity of the penalties, or the entire judgement, remains to be seen and could determine the length of time it takes to proceed.
“I did not ever under any circumstances administer anything to our horses, only good food and vitamins and minerals and necessary medications if they are sick. I will not stand for any kind of injustice. I will use whatever resources I have to make sure that whoever does any damage to my reputation will pay. I am one thousand per cent innocent. I have never been more right in my life,” Comer was quoted as saying.
“These 12 horses were all the best horses we had — all capable of winning. Some did win and tested negative on blood and urine afterwards. These horses all ran for the previous 12 months prior to the testing. Why would anyone in their right mind give something to horses that are running every couple of weeks? I spend €10 million a year on horses, breeding, training —everything — and I spent €8 million on sports sponsorships in Ireland in the last five years.
“I get back about €200,000 from horses. I am not in the game for money. I don’t train horses for anybody else. I train them for myself. Do you think I would take the bread out of small trainers’ mouths? I don’t want to win small races — full stop. I don’t care. If a horse ran well, I would rather the money would go to a smaller trainer whose livelihood depended on it,” he added.
The positive test results came from hair samples taken by the IHRB. The first was taken from the Comer-trained He Knows No Fear after it finished fourth in the Trigo Stakes at Leopardstown in October of 2021. It prompted out-of-competition testing at Comer’s yard a few weeks later.
Comer called on several veterinary and pharmacology experts during May’s hearing and questioned the reliability of hair-testing. He suggested environmental contamination, possibly from pig slurry, as a potential source of the drugs. The referrals panel described that as speculation.
The IHRB has employed hair testing in its anti-doping strategy since 2016. Darragh O’Loughlin has said its validity has not been previously questioned and insisted there shouldn’t be such questions in future.
A pair of Comer-owned and trained runners, Path To The Moon and Force Of The Moon, were unfinished and unplaced in maiden hurdles when running at Navan on Saturday.
Brian O'Connor
Sun Sep 17 2023 - 16:05
Billionaire businessman Luke Comer has claimed to have already spent €1.4 million fighting Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) charges that last week culminated in him being banned from training for three years after 12 of his horses tested positive for anabolic steroids.
The cost is likely to only increase after Comer indicated he will appeal the decision that also saw him pick up fines totalling €85,000 with legal costs to the IHRB of more than €750,000.
In the most extensive drugs scandal in Irish racing history, a dozen of the Monaco-based businessman’s horses tested positive for the steroids methandienone and methyltestosterone after the IHRB carried out unannounced testing at Comer’s stables in Kiltiernan in 2021.
Comer denied wrongdoing by either himself or his staff during a nine-day hearing in May, details of which were published last Thursday. An IHRB referrals committee panel failed to establish how the substances got into the horses and found there was no evidence of deliberate doping.
However, as the licence holder, Comer was held responsible, despite telling the panel he spends just three months of the year in Ireland.
The man who co-founded the Comer Group, one of Europe’s biggest property firms, told the Sunday Independent he is “entirely innocent” and will appeal. Any appeal will have to be lodged by Wednesday. His ban is due to start on January 1st. Considering the unprecedented scale of the rule breaches, and Comer’s reported wealth, there has been some criticism of the relative leniency of the penalties imposed.
Earlier this year Co Armagh-based permit holder Ronan McNally received a record 12-year disqualification after a lengthy IHRB investigation into the improvement in the form of some of his horses at the centre of high-profile gambles.
Former Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni was banned for eight years by the British racing authorities in 2013 after admitting to giving anabolic steroids to 15 horses.
After stressing the independent nature of the referrals committee headed by Mr Justice Brian McGovern, IHRB chief executive Darragh O’Loughlin said on Sunday that direct administration had not been demonstrated in the Comer case.
Given the likelihood of an appeal, it’s a case that could proceed for some time yet and that may mean the January 1st start to Comer’s ban being deferred. The nature of any appeal, whether it is against the severity of the penalties, or the entire judgement, remains to be seen and could determine the length of time it takes to proceed.
“I did not ever under any circumstances administer anything to our horses, only good food and vitamins and minerals and necessary medications if they are sick. I will not stand for any kind of injustice. I will use whatever resources I have to make sure that whoever does any damage to my reputation will pay. I am one thousand per cent innocent. I have never been more right in my life,” Comer was quoted as saying.
“These 12 horses were all the best horses we had — all capable of winning. Some did win and tested negative on blood and urine afterwards. These horses all ran for the previous 12 months prior to the testing. Why would anyone in their right mind give something to horses that are running every couple of weeks? I spend €10 million a year on horses, breeding, training —everything — and I spent €8 million on sports sponsorships in Ireland in the last five years.
“I get back about €200,000 from horses. I am not in the game for money. I don’t train horses for anybody else. I train them for myself. Do you think I would take the bread out of small trainers’ mouths? I don’t want to win small races — full stop. I don’t care. If a horse ran well, I would rather the money would go to a smaller trainer whose livelihood depended on it,” he added.
The positive test results came from hair samples taken by the IHRB. The first was taken from the Comer-trained He Knows No Fear after it finished fourth in the Trigo Stakes at Leopardstown in October of 2021. It prompted out-of-competition testing at Comer’s yard a few weeks later.
Comer called on several veterinary and pharmacology experts during May’s hearing and questioned the reliability of hair-testing. He suggested environmental contamination, possibly from pig slurry, as a potential source of the drugs. The referrals panel described that as speculation.
The IHRB has employed hair testing in its anti-doping strategy since 2016. Darragh O’Loughlin has said its validity has not been previously questioned and insisted there shouldn’t be such questions in future.
A pair of Comer-owned and trained runners, Path To The Moon and Force Of The Moon, were unfinished and unplaced in maiden hurdles when running at Navan on Saturday.
Luke Comer and his brother - are both multi, multi, Millionaires/Billionaires.
If - "THEY are really having it off - wow!"
Then just some of their loose-change Pocket Money - would make the horse - 3/1 - NOT - 130.0 BSP.
If - "THEY are really having it off - wow!"
Then just some of their loose-change Pocket Money - would make the horse - 3/1 - NOT - 130.0 BSP.
ah - all very interesting - now I'm insanely jealous!
19 horses entered at Dundalk tuesday. He will be needing plenty of transport for them,cant remember more horses entered for one day meeting for same trainer.
there's also a dead horse thing in the press re decomposed remains found on their land
County Meath-based trainer Luke Comer jnr escaped a conviction at Navan District Court on Friday after decomposed horse carcases were found on his land, but has made a donation of €20,000 to the ISPCA and was ordered to pay legal costs of €3,075.
Comer is the son of the billionaire businessman and trainer of the same name who has appealed against a three-year suspension of his training licence and €840,754 in fines and costs after a dozen of his horses tested positive for anabolic steroids.
The prosecution was taken against Comer jnr by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. On March 13, 2021, he was accused of failing to collect, identify and transport category two animal by-products without undue delay under conditions which present risks arising to public and animal health in breach of EU regulations.
Prosecuting solicitor Mr Hanahoe told the court that two inspectors from the department had carried out an inspection, and in a location near the main yard found the “fully decomposed” carcases of nine horses.
Deceased horses were normally brought to a knackery and an identity chip removed in order to provide traceability, but this was impossible in this case because the chips were buried in the undergrowth.
Hanahoe said that Comer was unable to provide an explanation for the presence of the carcases. After the inspection he had provided a receipt from a local knackery for the disposal of the carcases.
Defending barrister William Penrose told the court that his client had put a management system in place in March 2020 and had given authority to certain people to contact the knackery about the carcases. He said that Comer was "greatly taken aback" and knew nothing about the matter but cooperated fully with the department.
Judge Cormac Dunne said that the carcases were "in full view" beside an "active track" and he found that "pretty startling".
Penrose said that his client apologised profusely and had taken steps immediately to rectify the situation. The carcases had been found at a "forestry track" and not near a training track.
Judge Dunne said the court had a challenge in the "trapeze act" of balancing the law and justice. In this case he concluded the public interest would be served if Comer paid a €20,000 donation to the ISPCA and he struck out all the charges. Legal costs of €3,075 were ordered against him.
This was in the Racing Post 2 days ago. What is the explanation for having 9 dead horses at one time on top of the awfulness of not sending them to the hunt/abattoir. The weirdest news article ever in that not many questions seem to have been asked. Workrider or any other Irish person on here, do you know any more about this, must have been talked about at the races? Would have been on the tv news here but just seems to have been tucked away with a very lenient outcome.
Comer is the son of the billionaire businessman and trainer of the same name who has appealed against a three-year suspension of his training licence and €840,754 in fines and costs after a dozen of his horses tested positive for anabolic steroids.
The prosecution was taken against Comer jnr by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. On March 13, 2021, he was accused of failing to collect, identify and transport category two animal by-products without undue delay under conditions which present risks arising to public and animal health in breach of EU regulations.
Prosecuting solicitor Mr Hanahoe told the court that two inspectors from the department had carried out an inspection, and in a location near the main yard found the “fully decomposed” carcases of nine horses.
Deceased horses were normally brought to a knackery and an identity chip removed in order to provide traceability, but this was impossible in this case because the chips were buried in the undergrowth.
Hanahoe said that Comer was unable to provide an explanation for the presence of the carcases. After the inspection he had provided a receipt from a local knackery for the disposal of the carcases.
Defending barrister William Penrose told the court that his client had put a management system in place in March 2020 and had given authority to certain people to contact the knackery about the carcases. He said that Comer was "greatly taken aback" and knew nothing about the matter but cooperated fully with the department.
Judge Cormac Dunne said that the carcases were "in full view" beside an "active track" and he found that "pretty startling".
Penrose said that his client apologised profusely and had taken steps immediately to rectify the situation. The carcases had been found at a "forestry track" and not near a training track.
Judge Dunne said the court had a challenge in the "trapeze act" of balancing the law and justice. In this case he concluded the public interest would be served if Comer paid a €20,000 donation to the ISPCA and he struck out all the charges. Legal costs of €3,075 were ordered against him.
This was in the Racing Post 2 days ago. What is the explanation for having 9 dead horses at one time on top of the awfulness of not sending them to the hunt/abattoir. The weirdest news article ever in that not many questions seem to have been asked. Workrider or any other Irish person on here, do you know any more about this, must have been talked about at the races? Would have been on the tv news here but just seems to have been tucked away with a very lenient outcome.
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