Yuften saga takes spectacular twist as IHRB decides not to give any evidence in next week's hearing

The Yuften saga took a spectacular twist on Thursday when the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) informed its referrals committee that it would not be giving evidence in the eagerly awaited hearing next week following the belated production of expert veterinary reports.

A two-day hearing had been pencilled in for November 10 and 11, but that looks like it will not be happening now after the IHRB has decided to step to one side and not fight its own case against trainer Denis Hogan.

The controversial race in question was a 7f claimer at Dundalk in March, 2020 where the 92-rated Yuften drifted all the way out to 6-4 having been as short as 2-5 earlier in the day.

Stablemate Tony The Gent, who had been 11-4 and was rated 17lb inferior, was supported into 10-11 favourite at the off and duly obliged by two and a quarter lengths from his much higher rated stablemate.

Yuften was subsequently found to be lame by an IHRB veterinary officer.

The stewards on the day referred the matter for further investigation and it later emerged that the British Horseracing Authority, which monitors betting trends for the Irish regulator, would be assisting with the investigation.

The case was supposed to come to a conclusion next week, but it looks as though Hogan no longer has a case to answer after the IHRB decided to step away due to "expert veterinary reports which provided context for the performance of the horse in the race in question".

A statement from the IHRB read: "The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has today informed the referrals committee that it will not offer any evidence at the hearing of the referral in respect of the running and riding of Yuften.

"Following the recent belated production of relevant records and reports by the respondents, which had been sought by the IHRB since the initial stages of the investigation, the IHRB has decided that it does not intend to offer evidence at the hearing before the referrals committee – in effect a nolle prosequi [no wish to prosecute]."

It added: "It was appropriate on the day of the race that the matter would be referred for investigation and in the course of the investigation certain information was sought from the respondent. This evidence was not produced during interviews or at any other stage throughout the three years this investigation remained open, until October of this year when expert veterinary reports which provided context for the performance of the horse in the race in question were finally submitted.

"The IHRB regards as deeply frustrating the failure of the respondent to produce this evidence before now – in excess of three years after the events to which the evidence relates."

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