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Jockey Conor McNamara suspended for 40 days and trainer Eric McNamara fined €6,000 after running and riding inquiry at Clonmel
Eric McNamara and Conor McNamara: suspended and fined respectively after stewards' inquiry
Jockey Conor McNamara has been suspended for 40 days, trainer Eric McNamara fined €6,000 and Mount Ferns suspended from running for 90 days following an inquiry by raceday stewards at Clonmel on Thursday.
Seven-year-old Mount Ferns finished sixth in the 2m½f novice handicap chase, running on to be nine lengths adrift of winner Luminous Light at the line.
It was an effort the stewards took a dim view of, and following an inquiry they were "satisfied that both rider and trainer were in breach of Rule 212A(i) by deliberately or recklessly causing or permitting a horse to run other than on its merits".
Mount Ferns was having his tenth start under rules. The winner of a handicap hurdle at Listowel in September, he fell on his previous outing at Limerick over Christmas and was sent off 14-1 at Clonmel for his debut over fences.
In their evidence to the enquiry, both Conor McNamara and David O'Riordan, the authorised representative for the yard, mentioned the horse hanging to his right.
Mount Ferns: a winner at Listowel in September and now suspended from running for 90 days
The inquiry report read: "The raceday stewards inquired into the running and riding of Mount Ferns, ridden by Conor McNamara and trained by Eric McNamara.
"Evidence was heard from the rider and David O'Riordan, authorised representative, who said the instructions were to jump off mid-division and to come with a late run. He added he was satisfied with the ride as the horse was hanging badly right.
"Conor McNamara confirmed the instructions given and said he was generally happy with the way the race went, however, his mount started hanging badly going down the hill and turning into the straight. He elaborated that the horse was extremely difficult to ride at this point and he could not even ride the horse out to the line.
"He concluded by saying he had forgotten to make a report at scales that the horse was hanging."
The Racing Post in-running comment described Mount Ferns as an eyecatcher, with the full passage reading: "Midfield, not fluent three out, tenderly handled but some headway before two out, kept on run-in, eyecatcher".
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board informed the stewards that Mount Ferns was post-race normal, with samples taken for further analysis.
In addition to his 40-day ban, the stewards ordered that Conor McNamara forfeit his riding fee.
Eric McNamara and Conor McNamara: suspended and fined respectively after stewards' inquiry
Jockey Conor McNamara has been suspended for 40 days, trainer Eric McNamara fined €6,000 and Mount Ferns suspended from running for 90 days following an inquiry by raceday stewards at Clonmel on Thursday.
Seven-year-old Mount Ferns finished sixth in the 2m½f novice handicap chase, running on to be nine lengths adrift of winner Luminous Light at the line.
It was an effort the stewards took a dim view of, and following an inquiry they were "satisfied that both rider and trainer were in breach of Rule 212A(i) by deliberately or recklessly causing or permitting a horse to run other than on its merits".
Mount Ferns was having his tenth start under rules. The winner of a handicap hurdle at Listowel in September, he fell on his previous outing at Limerick over Christmas and was sent off 14-1 at Clonmel for his debut over fences.
In their evidence to the enquiry, both Conor McNamara and David O'Riordan, the authorised representative for the yard, mentioned the horse hanging to his right.
Mount Ferns: a winner at Listowel in September and now suspended from running for 90 days
The inquiry report read: "The raceday stewards inquired into the running and riding of Mount Ferns, ridden by Conor McNamara and trained by Eric McNamara.
"Evidence was heard from the rider and David O'Riordan, authorised representative, who said the instructions were to jump off mid-division and to come with a late run. He added he was satisfied with the ride as the horse was hanging badly right.
"Conor McNamara confirmed the instructions given and said he was generally happy with the way the race went, however, his mount started hanging badly going down the hill and turning into the straight. He elaborated that the horse was extremely difficult to ride at this point and he could not even ride the horse out to the line.
"He concluded by saying he had forgotten to make a report at scales that the horse was hanging."
The Racing Post in-running comment described Mount Ferns as an eyecatcher, with the full passage reading: "Midfield, not fluent three out, tenderly handled but some headway before two out, kept on run-in, eyecatcher".
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board informed the stewards that Mount Ferns was post-race normal, with samples taken for further analysis.
In addition to his 40-day ban, the stewards ordered that Conor McNamara forfeit his riding fee.
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Anyone had a look at the replay? I did seem to notice the horse hanging and thought maybe I've seen much more blatant tender rides in the past.
Hanging goes hand in hand with strangling.Took a pull coming into straight whilst in 8 th place.
Trainer Eric McNamara said he is "100 per cent innocent" and will definitely be appealing the €6,000 fine he received after Mount Ferns was found guilty under the non-trier rule at Clonmel on Thursday.
McNamara's son Conor will also be appealing the 40-day ban he picked up for the ride, while Mount Ferns was suspended for 90 days after the raceday stewards said they were "satisfied that both rider and trainer were in breach of Rule 212A(i) by deliberately or recklessly causing or permitting a horse to run other than on its merits."
Mount Ferns, a seven-year-old who had fallen on his previous start at Limerick, finished sixth in the 2m½f novice handicap chase, staying on up the straight to be nine lengths adrift of winner Luminous Light at the line, but McNamara feels he has been very harshly treated.
The trainer said: "We will definitely be appealing. He was hanging like a gate and Conor couldn't ride him out, so what was he supposed to do? He felt there was something amiss."
McNamara added: "He didn't handle the track at Limerick the last day and he was just starting to hang when he came down. He didn't like coming down the hill. It was a mistake of mine to run him at Clonmel because he didn't handle the track at all and, when he came down the hill, Conor couldn't take his hands off the reins at all. He would have ended up in the field in the middle of the track if he did.
"I promise you, the horse was off for his life."
Mount Ferns: a winner at Listowel in September and now suspended from running for 90 days
Mount Ferns: a winner at Listowel in September and now suspended from running for 90 days
Credit: Patrick McCann
When asked how he felt when the punishments were handed out, McNamara said: "It's bizarre. Conor was genuinely trying to do his best. The horse was hanging like a gate. It was the wrong track for him, which was trainer error, but there are so few of those races for him. He's a big, strong 16-3 horse and I wanted to run him over fences sooner rather than later.
"We are 100 per cent innocent. The minute the race was over Conor came in and said, 'I couldn't ride him, Dad, he was hanging so bad.' He said he was just trying to keep him straight because he was going to go straight into the middle of the field. He said we need to find a flat track for him, a big, galloping flat track is what he needs, not Clonmel."
The inquiry report read: "The raceday stewards inquired into the running and riding of Mount Ferns, ridden by Conor McNamara and trained by Eric McNamara.
"Evidence was heard from the rider and David O'Riordan, authorised representative, who said the instructions were to jump off mid-division and to come with a late run. He added he was satisfied with the ride as the horse was hanging badly right.
Eric McNamara and Conor McNamara: suspended and fined respectively after stewards' inquiry
Eric and Conor McNamara have strongly rejected the stewards' findings into the running and riding of Mount Ferns
Credit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)
"Conor McNamara confirmed the instructions given and said he was generally happy with the way the race went, however, his mount started hanging badly going down the hill and turning into the straight. He elaborated that the horse was extremely difficult to ride at this point and he could not even ride the horse out to the line.
"He concluded by saying he had forgotten to make a report at scales that the horse was hanging."
The Racing Post in-running comment described Mount Ferns as an eyecatcher, with the full passage reading: "Midfield, not fluent three out, tenderly handled but some headway before two out, kept on run-in, eyecatcher".
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board informed the stewards that Mount Ferns was post-race normal, with samples taken for further analysis.
McNamara's son Conor will also be appealing the 40-day ban he picked up for the ride, while Mount Ferns was suspended for 90 days after the raceday stewards said they were "satisfied that both rider and trainer were in breach of Rule 212A(i) by deliberately or recklessly causing or permitting a horse to run other than on its merits."
Mount Ferns, a seven-year-old who had fallen on his previous start at Limerick, finished sixth in the 2m½f novice handicap chase, staying on up the straight to be nine lengths adrift of winner Luminous Light at the line, but McNamara feels he has been very harshly treated.
The trainer said: "We will definitely be appealing. He was hanging like a gate and Conor couldn't ride him out, so what was he supposed to do? He felt there was something amiss."
McNamara added: "He didn't handle the track at Limerick the last day and he was just starting to hang when he came down. He didn't like coming down the hill. It was a mistake of mine to run him at Clonmel because he didn't handle the track at all and, when he came down the hill, Conor couldn't take his hands off the reins at all. He would have ended up in the field in the middle of the track if he did.
"I promise you, the horse was off for his life."
Mount Ferns: a winner at Listowel in September and now suspended from running for 90 days
Mount Ferns: a winner at Listowel in September and now suspended from running for 90 days
Credit: Patrick McCann
When asked how he felt when the punishments were handed out, McNamara said: "It's bizarre. Conor was genuinely trying to do his best. The horse was hanging like a gate. It was the wrong track for him, which was trainer error, but there are so few of those races for him. He's a big, strong 16-3 horse and I wanted to run him over fences sooner rather than later.
"We are 100 per cent innocent. The minute the race was over Conor came in and said, 'I couldn't ride him, Dad, he was hanging so bad.' He said he was just trying to keep him straight because he was going to go straight into the middle of the field. He said we need to find a flat track for him, a big, galloping flat track is what he needs, not Clonmel."
The inquiry report read: "The raceday stewards inquired into the running and riding of Mount Ferns, ridden by Conor McNamara and trained by Eric McNamara.
"Evidence was heard from the rider and David O'Riordan, authorised representative, who said the instructions were to jump off mid-division and to come with a late run. He added he was satisfied with the ride as the horse was hanging badly right.
Eric McNamara and Conor McNamara: suspended and fined respectively after stewards' inquiry
Eric and Conor McNamara have strongly rejected the stewards' findings into the running and riding of Mount Ferns
Credit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)
"Conor McNamara confirmed the instructions given and said he was generally happy with the way the race went, however, his mount started hanging badly going down the hill and turning into the straight. He elaborated that the horse was extremely difficult to ride at this point and he could not even ride the horse out to the line.
"He concluded by saying he had forgotten to make a report at scales that the horse was hanging."
The Racing Post in-running comment described Mount Ferns as an eyecatcher, with the full passage reading: "Midfield, not fluent three out, tenderly handled but some headway before two out, kept on run-in, eyecatcher".
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board informed the stewards that Mount Ferns was post-race normal, with samples taken for further analysis.
held up in rear took no part (intentionally)
ric McNamara and his son Conor have won their appeal against the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, whose raceday stewards at Clonmel initially found Mount Ferns guilty under the non-trier rule.
The stewards on the day took a dim view of Mount Ferns finishing sixth in a novice handicap chase and hit the trainer with a €6,000 fine, while jockey Conor was handed a 40-day ban, which would have ruled him out of the Cheltenham Festival. The horse was suspended for 90 days.
The McNamaras immediately signalled their intention to appeal and they have won their case at IHRB headquarters.
Eric McNamara said: "Thankfully, justice has been served. I would like to acknowledge that we were given a very fair hearing and I would like to thank the IHRB for giving us the opportunity to defend ourselves.
"From the outset I told everyone that we were 100 per cent innocent. The horse was hanging and there was nothing Conor could do about it. He couldn't take his hands off the reins at all. He would have ended up in the field in the middle of the track if he did."
The Racing Post in-running comment described Mount Ferns as an eyecatcher, with the full passage reading: "Midfield, not fluent three out, tenderly handled but some headway before two out, kept on run-in, eyecatcher".
The IHRB informed the stewards that Mount Ferns was post-race normal, with samples taken for further analysis.
Having reviewed all the evidence and listened to Eric and Conor McNamara make their cases, the appeals body quashed all the penalties, which means Mount Ferns is now free to run.
The seven-year-old gelding has won just one of his ten starts, a 2m handicap hurdle at Listowel last September. He is now with his third trainer, having been with Oliver Sherwood and then Emma Lavelle. He has had four starts for McNamara and is rated 100 over hurdles and fences.
The stewards on the day took a dim view of Mount Ferns finishing sixth in a novice handicap chase and hit the trainer with a €6,000 fine, while jockey Conor was handed a 40-day ban, which would have ruled him out of the Cheltenham Festival. The horse was suspended for 90 days.
The McNamaras immediately signalled their intention to appeal and they have won their case at IHRB headquarters.
Eric McNamara said: "Thankfully, justice has been served. I would like to acknowledge that we were given a very fair hearing and I would like to thank the IHRB for giving us the opportunity to defend ourselves.
"From the outset I told everyone that we were 100 per cent innocent. The horse was hanging and there was nothing Conor could do about it. He couldn't take his hands off the reins at all. He would have ended up in the field in the middle of the track if he did."
The Racing Post in-running comment described Mount Ferns as an eyecatcher, with the full passage reading: "Midfield, not fluent three out, tenderly handled but some headway before two out, kept on run-in, eyecatcher".
The IHRB informed the stewards that Mount Ferns was post-race normal, with samples taken for further analysis.
Having reviewed all the evidence and listened to Eric and Conor McNamara make their cases, the appeals body quashed all the penalties, which means Mount Ferns is now free to run.
The seven-year-old gelding has won just one of his ten starts, a 2m handicap hurdle at Listowel last September. He is now with his third trainer, having been with Oliver Sherwood and then Emma Lavelle. He has had four starts for McNamara and is rated 100 over hurdles and fences.
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