Philip Rothwell© Photo Healy Racing
Philip Rothwell has stated his intention to appeal the sanctions administered by the Limerick stewards after a running and riding enquiry into Duffys Hodey who finished sixth in the first division of the 80-95 handicap over two miles.
The stewards' notes are below:
The Stewards enquired into the running and riding of Duffys Hodey, ridden by A.W. (Adam) Short, and trained by P.J. Rothwell. Evidence was heard from the rider and trainer concerned. A.W. Short, stated that he had never ridden this animal before and had been instructed to drop him in, get him switched off, try and get him to see out his race and to do his best. He described his mount as jumping off on the wrong lead, to have settled well but jumped left and hung to the left. He said that his mount could not go with the leading pack after the third last hurdle after they had quickened down the hill. He did not use his whip as he had been made aware that his mount would not respond to it but admitted that he got going in the straight. He explained that his mount was ridden wide on the best of the ground but had handled this inside track well. P.J. Rothwell, confirmed the riding instructions and informed the Stewards that his charge was a four year old having his first run in a handicap hurdle. He stated that it was unlike his charge to hang. On viewing the video he felt that his charge was off the bridle at the top of the back straight and the rider was pushing his mount without going for the whip. He confirmed at a later stage of this enquiry that the rider had carried out his instructions. The Stewards also received a report from the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer who stated that Duffys Hodey was noted to have lost a left hind shoe in running otherwise was post race normal. Samples were taken for analysis. Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion that the rider and the trainer were both in breach of Rule 212A(ii). Having taken their previous records into consideration, the Stewards fined P.J. Rothwell €2,000 and suspended A.W. Short for ten racedays and ordered that he forfeit his riding fee. Furthermore under Rule 212C (d), the Stewards, having taken the previous penalty imposed on Duffys Hodey suspended this animal from running for 60 days.
Afterwards, Rothwell spoke to RacingTV and was asked if he was found guilty of using the racecourse as a training ground. He replied: "It's of rider not making I think his maximum effort to obtain his best possible place. We were found guilty and I suppose, thankfully, we got the minimum fines and penalties because Adam had never been in a running and riding enquiry in 1500 rides, and I've never been found guilty before in three or four thousand runners.
"This horse (Duffys Hodey) was involved in a running and riding enquiry before with a kid that worked in the yard having his first ride - dropped in and stayed on and ran well. He was suspended for 45 days.
"We rode him more prominent in a race in Galway the last day and he didn't quite get home. First run in a handicap today, he was dropped in and stayed on which is definitely the right way to ride him going forward and we'll always do it.
"However, he hung very bad to the left at his hurdles and jumped to the left and at the last he nearly fell over jumping so bad to the left.
"He came back in missing a shoe - that was reported and it was reported that he hung. Michael Walsh who would be Cork's racecourse farrier saw him down in the yard and agreed he was tender on his foot but the Turf Club vet found him to be okay. They fined me 2,000 euro, the horse got 60 days and Adam has got 10 days.
"I'm just mesmerised, I can't believe it. In my mind, and I stressed it, halfway up the back I was concerned should Adam stay going. It was questionable whether he should stay going.
"When I watched it on TV I didn't know why I was there (in the enquiry) at all. Then when Adam told me coming in that he hung left and jumped left, I was very surprised because he has never done that before.
"I immediately had a look at him and I could see that he was feely and that he was missing a shoe. A farrier, Michael Walsh, agreed and a Turf Club vet found him to be normal. I don't know how a horse that's tender and missing a hind shoe can be post-race normal.
"The vets are very good, I've no issue that way. I just can't understand how with a report that the horse hung left, jumped left and has come back in, in my mind, not 100 per cent sound and in a farrier's mind not 100 per cent sound, and missing a shoe, how you should even be in that position of a running and riding enquiry. I thought, if anything, maybe Adam should have got a warning for not pulling the horse up a half a mile out but he didn't know the horse. He was riding in a 10 winners' race and wasn't familiar with him and I totally get that. i wouldn't give out to him for it. I'll definitely support him in the future. But he rode him out from half a mile out, he actually pushed him out from half a mile out on a horse that he was told going out would struggle to stay. I'm just mesmerised to be honest.
"I'm part of a syndicate involved in a couple of horses myself and he's one of them and I'll definitely appeal it, 100 per cent appeal it. I suppose that is what the appeals process is there for.
"It will be my third appeal in the last number of months and I don't want to be in this position. I won an appeal and I lost an appeal. The appeal I lost was a welfare issue over a horse in my mind as well. I didn't run him until the ground softened. A rule has changed three days after my last appeal which would have suggested that I should have been successful in it too, in my mind.
"It is just very, very disappointing to be back in this position all over again. If we were doing something that I believed I shouldn't have been doing, I wouldn't feel so strong about it but a horse was pushed out and he's not even sound, so how can a horse that's missing a shoe, hang left, jump left get a 60-day ban? I'm mesmerised.
"I'm sure the appeals are fair. If they are not being heard as fair, what's the point in having a licence in the country? That's what the appeals are for. I didn't agree with the result of the last appeal but you would certainly hope that you would get a fair hearing."
In the same race, the Stewards wished to enquire into the running and riding of ninth-placed Strong Roots ridden by G. Brouder, and trained by Mark Fahey. On the advice of the IHRB Medical Officer, G. Brouder was unfit to attend this enquiry following a fall in the following race which required him to be detained in the medical centre. In the circumstances, the Stewards referred this matter to the Referrals Committee for hearing.
