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Gordon Elliott said Monday night that “it absolutely breaks my heart to hear people say that I don’t respect my horses” and that they will spend their lives paying for “a moment of madness.”
His comments came in an interview with the Racing Post published shortly after the British Horse Racing Authority banned the coach from sending riders to Britain, pending the outcome of an investigation by the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board. (IHRB) on a photograph of Elliott sitting on a corpse. horse in its gallop that circulated on social media Saturday night.
In the interview with the racing trade newspaper, Elliott said that his actions after Morgan, a horse owned by Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown Stud operation, had died at a gallop in 2019, were “indefensible,” adding: ” Whether dead or alive, the horse had the right to dignity. A moment of madness for which I am going to have to spend the rest of my life paying and for which my staff is suffering. “
Elliott also told the Post that “his whole life has revolved around horses since he was a kid. I don’t know anything else. Horses are all I have. I came from nowhere and built a dream ”.
“When your world begins to crumble in front of you, it is a terrifying place to be. I just hope that people can understand how sorry I really am and find some way to forgive me for what I have done “, adding:” I can guarantee that this will never happen to any animal, alive or dead. “
The interview with Elliott was published shortly after the BHA’s announcement that his yard runners will not be allowed to run in Britain until the IHRB investigation into the case is concluded.
The BHA action, which is highly unusual while an investigation is under way in another jurisdiction, could prompt Elliott yard owners with tickets to the Cheltenham Festival in two weeks to move their horses to other stables.
In a statement issued Monday night, the BHA said it will “use powers under its own rules to refuse to allow Elliott-trained horses to compete in Britain pending the outcome of the Irish investigation.”
Elliott is licensed in Ireland and can still race his horses there while the IHRB investigation continues. He had four winners from seven runners at the Punchestown meeting on Monday.
“Mr. Elliott has entered horses to compete in Great Britain,” added the BHA statement, “British racing rules apply to him from that point on.
“The decision to refuse to allow the horses trained by Mr. Elliott to run in Great Britain is therefore an interim decision which the BHA considers proportionate in these circumstances.”
The BHA said in an earlier statement Monday that it was “appalled” by the image, adding: “People who work in our industry believe that their values, of caring for and respecting our horses, have been deeply undermined by this behavior. . On his behalf, and on behalf of all horse lovers, we say unequivocally that British horse racing finds this totally unacceptable. “
Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s chief executive and Elliott’s most influential barn owner, said Monday that he will continue to support the shipyard, although his statement preceded the BHA’s announcement of its ban on brokers at the shipyard.
Cheveley Park Stud, which has four top contenders for Cheltenham in the stable, Envoi Allen, Ballyadam, Quilixios and Sir Gerhard, said Monday morning that while Stud owners were “really appalled and dismayed by the photograph circulating on social media “. , “I would await the official result of the investigation by the IHRB, which we trust will be prompt, before making any additional comments / decisions.”
