Appeal hearing

THE appeals by Aidan O’Brien and Wayne Lordan against penalties imposed on them by the stewards at Dundalk last Friday week (March 31st) will be heard next Monday afternoon in the Turf Club. The trainer and jockey were punished over the running and riding of Music Box.

See report on page A22.

Walsh must wait

MARK Walsh hopes to back in the saddle in time for the Irish Grand National meeting next weekend. The jockey fractured his left leg in a fall at Cheltenham last month when deputising for the injured Barry Geraghty.

Walsh has seen consultant orthopaedic surgeon Paddy Kenny and although the leg is making good progress it has not quite fully healed.

“Mark has to see Mr Kenny again next Tuesday for a review. He won’t be back for Aintree, but he should be okay for Fairyhouse,” said Turf Club senior medical officer Dr Adrian McGoldrick.

Martin Ferris, who suffered a double leg break similar to that of Irish soccer international Seamus Coleman when fracturing his tibia and fibula at Galway last October, was at Leopardstown on Wednesday and reported that his injury is “progressing well.”

However, he faces another operation in Santry’s Sports Clinic at the beginning of May before he can think about pencilling in a possible date for his return to action. Ferris explained: “They’ve found a problem with a ligament in my ankle and I need to get a pin removed, so that they can get a clearer look at it. I’ll know more after I have the operation on May 2nd.”

Two-week window for Plus 10

THERE is a two-week post-sale registration allowance for Plus 10 horses sold at breeze-up sales. This allowance provides for the new owner to pay the final Plus 10 registration fee to qualify their purchase to win a £10,000 (€12,500) bonus should their horse go on to win a Plus 10 race.

About 600 two and three-year-old races staged in Britain and Ireland this year will feature a Plus 10 bonus. The Plus 10 bonus scheme has paid out in excess of £8 million to owners and breeders in just two years of bonus racing.

Mullin takes HRI position

JONATHAN Mullin has been appointed Director of Communications and Public Affairs with Horse Racing Ireland. The role is a new one created as part of the ongoing development of the HRI senior management team.

Mullin, who takes up the position on May 15th, joins HRI from RTE where he has been Head of Digital Sport for the past year.

He had previously been editor of the Irish Racing Post for six years. In his new job he will be responsible for the leadership, management and development of the communications function within HRI, comprising corporate affairs, internal and external corporate communications, press office and event management.

Tipp inspection

THERE will be an inspection of the Tipperary sprint track at 8am on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s meeting there. Some false patches were found on the sprint track on Thursday but there is a dry forecast.