Jockey Club flapping investigation

THE JOCKEY CLUB is investigating the possibility that Hard To Lay, winner of a selling hurdle at Stratford for Philip Hobbs this summer, ran at unlicensed `flapping` tracks in Ireland in between two spells in training in Britain.

The four-year-old filly, who is registered in the name of Galway-based Ms Christina Hehir, is now back in Ireland, but when handled by David Cosgrove in Newmarket last year was registered to Liam Mulryan, understood to be the husband of Ms Hehir.

The matter was brought to the attention of Jockey Club officials at Portman Square in London earlier this week by Cosgrove after he had been questioned by a newspaper reporter.

The trainer has since been visited by an official from the Club`s security department while Hobbs has also been contacted.

Hard To Lay left Cosgrove on July 20 last year and joined Hobbs on June 5 since when she raced three times including winning the Every Tuesday Business Life Novices' Selling Hurdle at Stratford on July 14 under Paul Flynn.

Cosgrove was not available for comment on Friday , but if the Jockey Club investigation uncovers evidence supporting Hard to Lay did contest flapping races, Hobbs would face losing the Stratford victory through the horse`s disqualification.

Hobbs said:'Hard To Lay arrived with me and we trained her and that is all I know. She wasn't very good and left me in early August after running badly at Newton Abbot.'

Under the rules of racing, Rule 181 (i) states a horse is not qualified to be entered or start for any race if it has run at any unrecognised meetings and were Hard To Lay to be disqualified the Stratford win would be credited to runner-up Investor Relations, trained by Nigel Hawke and ridden by Andy Thornton.

The last investigation in Britain into a flapping incident dates back to 1995. A horse called Pretty Average won the Rocom Selling Handicap at Thirsk, trained by Basil Richmond and owned by Patricia Hamilton, but was subsequently found to have raced at flapping tracks under the name Short And Sweet, owned by Jim McDonald, Hamilton's partner.

The couple were also involved with a horse called Bluefaulds which appeared on the flapping circuit as Hotspur.

At a Disciplinary Committee inquiry in April 1996, Hamilton and McDonald were both disqualified for ten years, and Pretty Average was disqualified from her victory at Thirsk.