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Horse trainer Gordon Elliott has apologized “deeply” for an image in which he appeared to be sitting on a dead horse.
The image was posted and shared on Twitter over the weekend and the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board said the matter was under investigation.
In a statement, the coach said: “I would like to address the speculation and rumors that have spread since an old photo of me began circulating on social media yesterday afternoon.
“First of all, I deeply apologize for any offense this photo has caused and I can categorically affirm that the welfare of each and every horse in my care is paramount and has been critical to the success we have enjoyed here at Cullentra.
Elliott is a three-time Grand National winner
“The photo in question was taken some time ago and occurred after a horse had died of an apparent galloping heart attack. I appreciate that an initial view of this photo suggests that it is an insensitive and staged photo, but nothing could be further from true.
“In what was a sad moment, which is when any horse in my care dies, my initial reaction was to remove the body from where it was placed.
“I was standing next to the horse waiting to help with the removal of the body, in the course of which, in my memory I received a call and, without thinking, I sat down to take it. I heard a shout from one of my team, I made a gesture to wait until it finished.
“This background information may seem trivial at this point and will not allay the concerns of many people both within and outside of the horse racing world.
“However, I think it’s important to give people some context around this photo. For the racing community, for anyone who has worked with and loves horses, and for anyone who is offended by this image, I cannot excuse me enough.
“The welfare of the horse and the care and attention to detail involved is absolutely at the core of everything we do here and I and my entire team pride ourselves on those standards.
“Again I apologize for any offense caused and ask people to consider this statement in contrast to the various falsehoods and misinformation circulating on social media.
“At this time, I would like to emphasize that I continue to extend my full cooperation with the IHRB’s ongoing investigation.”
“ Respect for horses is a core value of our sport, ” said the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board.
An IHRB spokesperson said: “The investigation is ongoing and will be resolved as quickly as possible.”
Elliott is a three-time Grand National winner, having sent Silver Birch to claim the Aintree award before Tiger Roll became the first consecutive race winner since Red Rum by lifting the marathon event in 2018 and 2019.
The British Horse Racing Authority said: “We hope that the Irish authorities will quickly confirm how this shocking image originated.
“Respect for horses is a fundamental value of our sport, contrary to the impression in this image. The IHRB has assured us that the investigation will be carried out as quickly as possible and that they will keep us informed as more information becomes available. “.
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