Listowel ban just a bad ‘Memory’ for O’Brien and McCurtin

JOCKEY Ambrose McCurtin enjoyed an unusual honeymoon this week, finishing second in a listed hurdle race and winning a race at Punchestown, both of which he would have been denied if he had not won his appeal against a non-trier ban on the eve of his wedding.

Last Friday McCurtin married Niamh Doyle, daughter of trainer Tim Doyle. A day earlier he and trainer Liam O’Brien won their appeal against severe penalties they received in Listowel last month over the running and riding of No Memory.

The seven year-old mare was a 100/1 shot when she finished third in a conditions hurdle race at Listowel. The acting stewards felt McCurtin had not made “a timely, real and substantial effort to achieve the best possible placing” and he was suspended for 14 days.

O’Brien, who trains in Fermoy, Co Cork, was fined €2,000 and the horse was banned from running for 42 days.

Last week the trainer told the Appeals Body that he sometimes ran the mare in conditions races as they often attracted small fields and offered a chance to win some prize money if higher-rated horses underperform. McCurtin told the panel he didn’t think there was any more he could have done to improve his placing.

Senior handicapper Andrew Shaw said that, on ratings, No Memory would have been expected to only beat two or three horses home in the Listowel race. However, he added his opinion that McCurtin “was quieter in comparison to other jockeys around him” in the race.

The Appeals Body, chaired by Sean Barry and including John Murphy and Peter Allen, were not satisfied that there was a breach of the rule and allowed the appeal.

The verdict meant that No Memory could run at Limerick last Sunday and, with McCurtin back on board, they finished second in a listed event.

McCurtin said yesterday: “She’s a blacktype mare now and we would have missed that race, and my Punchestown winner, if we hadn’t appealed. Thankfully the Appeals Body made the right decision.”

Liam O’Brien commented: “The Appeals Body panel were very knowledgable and, to be fair, they had evidence which the acting stewards did not have on the day. We presented stride analysis, which showed the mare was running as fast as she could at all times. The race was the third fastest two-and-a-half-mile hurdle race run in Listowel in 10 years.

“But I am disappointed with the professional stewards on the day who are supposed to point the acting stewards in the right direction. The professionals should have understood how the Listowel race unfolded and I think they have questions to answer.”