Not a one Knight stand at INS

THE Irish National Stud is offering breeders a free nomination to Decorated Knight in 2022 if they use the Irish Champion Stakes winner this year.

Standing at a fee of €7,500, Decorated Knight (by Galileo) will have his first runners this year. Imad Al Sagar, who jointly bred and raced the horse, is continuing to support the horse at stud.

Gary Swift of the INS said: “Decorated Knight has two-year-olds in training with Roger Charlton, Richard Hannon, John Gosden, Roger Varian, John Quinn, Mark Johnston and Sir Mark Prescott, to name a few.”

Disqualified

NORTHERN trainers David Christie and Keith Watson lost three winners this week over positive post-race tests for dexamethasone, a prohibited substance which is commonly used in horses to treat allergic reactions.

Watson’s British Art tested positive after winning a Downpatrick handicap hurdle in September. The race was awarded to Paul Traynor’s Lusis Naturea.

Christie had two point-to-point winners disqualified for the same offence: Ask D Man at Portrush on October 17th and Some Man at Curraghmore on October 31st.

Watson was fined €1,000 but the Referrals Committee waived Christie’s fine as they felt he had taken reasonable precautions to avoid a rule breach.

Tattersalls Ireland sponsor PTPs

TATTERSALLS Ireland will sponsor a race at every Irish point-to-point this spring. The sales company also sponsored at all 37 fixtures in the autumn season, contributing almost €20,000. The spring sponsorship package is worth the same amount.

McMahon ban for Covid breach

CO Clare restricted trainer Brian McMahon has been banned from entering a racecourse for three months after being found guilty of breaching Covid-19 raceday protocols at Thurles on December 20th. He was also fined €1,000. McMahon’s offence was to fail to declare that he attended a bloodstock sale in Britain on December 17th.