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Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Promising young Irish jockey 'forced to retire' aged just 23
Twenty-three-year-old Irish jockey Gearoid Harney has been forced to retire five months on from suffering a serious head injury during a race last January. Harney was rushed to hospital after a fall at Fakenham racecourse on Sunday, January 19. He was riding Micronormous in the Sky Bet Queen Boudicca Series Final Mares' Handicap Chase when the horse slipped on a bend, resulting in a heavy fall for Harney. The next day, trainer David Pipe said that Harney was "battered and bruised" but that "jockeys are made of strong stuff." But Pipe has now confirmed that Harney has been forced to leave horseracing behind for good, after his latest medical scans meant that doctors couldn't give him the green light for returning his licence. Taking to social media, Pipe said: "Wishing conditional jockey Gearoid Harney the very best for the future as he unfortunately will not be returning to the saddle following his fall in January on medical advice. He rode 10 winners for me, the highlight being Kingston Queen's Listed Bumper success." Speaking to The Racing Post, Pipe added that "there will always be a place at [Pipe's training centre] Pond House" for Harney if the Cork man wants to move into training. Before his fall, Harney had ridden 21 winners since moving to the UK from Ireland in 2021, having ridden in point-to-points in this country. At the time of the accident in January, stewards explained: "Gearoid Harney, the rider of Micronormous, had fallen on the bend entering the back straight on the second circuit. After viewing a recording of the incident, it was found that there was possible interference resulting in Micronormous falling. Harney was unable to be interviewed following the incident, and therefore the enquiry was adjourned till a later date."
The Irish Sun
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Willie Mullins buys ‘perfect' £300,000 Cheltenham winner as legendary trainer gets serious in the summer transfer window
WILLIE MULLINS splashed £300,000 on a 'perfect' Cheltenham winner - as his epic squad rebuild picked up pace. The all-conquering Irish and British jumps champion trainer won the bidding for the hugely promising Poetisa. Formerly trained by Toby Bulgin, Poetisa won a mares' bumper at the home of jumps in April. Sent off 20-1 under former champion jockey Brian Hughes, she stayed on well up the hill after meeting trouble to win by a neck. Poetisa commanded a price tag of £42,000 as a three-year-old but her value soared after the Cheltenham victory. And Poetisa is from the same family as multiple Grade 1-winning superstar Macs Joy. The Jessica Harrington-trained hurdler won over half a million quid from 31 career races, which included nine victories. Famed for his battles with the legendary Brave Inca, Mac's Joy got the better of the former Champion Hurdler several times. Notably a 'tour de force' performance saw the Barry Geraghty-ridden gelding smash his big rival by four lengths in the 2006 Punchestown Champion Hurdle. Most read in Horse Racing The Racing Post analysis of Poetisa's debut said: "She made the perfect start she did well to do so too, having not always had the clearest run through. "There's plenty in her pedigree that points to a good future over obstacles." Mullins landed the 1-2-3 in the Grand National last season en route to breaking Dan Skelton's heart in the trainer battle. But the Closutton conveyor belt never stops and his aim will be to bring through the best young talent for the new season. Mullins has already While he and Rich Ricci have snapped up a While a FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Read more on the Irish Sun Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
Irish Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ted Walsh fined and jockey suspended as horse banned from running
Ted Walsh is appealing against the action taken by stewards after an incident at Wexford on Saturday. The former RTE Pundit and Grand National winning trainer was handed a €3,000 fine after 'Ta Na La,' who is owned by his wife Helen, finished runner-up to 'Aspire Tower' in a two-mile novice chase on her first race over fences. A running and riding inquiry was conducted by stewards after the race, with the 16/1 shot being scrutinised for her performance. Jockey Shane O'Callaghan did not use his whip during the race, afterwards confirming to stewards that "his instructions, issued directly from the trainer, were to jump off and get his mount home the best he could and not to use his whip." Walsh confirmed to The Racing Post that he intended to appeal against the decision. The stewards' report read: "The raceday stewards inquired into the running and riding of Ta Na La, ridden by Shane O'Callaghan, and trained by Ted Walsh. Evidence was heard from the rider accompanied by Brendan Brady, authorised representative for the trainer. "Shane O'Callaghan stated that his instructions, issued directly from the trainer, were to jump off and get his mount settled as she can be very free in her races. He further added he was told to get her jumping well, come home the best he could and not to use his whip. "The raceday stewards also received a report from the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board veterinary officer, who found the horse to be post-race normal. Samples were taken for further analysis. "Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the raceday stewards were satisfied that both rider and trainer were in breach of Rule 212.(A)(ii) in that the rider was not seen to have attempted to obtain from his mount timely, real and substantial efforts to achieve the best possible place. "As a consequence, they suspended Shane O'Callaghan for 14 racedays, ordered that he forfeit his riding fee and fined Ted Walsh €3,000 in accordance with the guidelines and taking their clean records into account. Furthermore, they suspended Ta Na La from running for 60 days under the provisions of Rule 212C(D)." Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email.
