Leading Irish trainer Tony Martin, renowned for his seven Cheltenham Festival victories, will have his training licence suspended for three months, commencing May 15th. This decision follows a successful appeal by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) against a previously suspended penalty, which they deemed unduly lenient.
Initially, Martin received a six-month suspension in December, which was suspended for two years. This was imposed after his Flat handicapper, Firstman, tested positive for lidocaine, a banned local anaesthetic, after winning a race at Dundalk in January 2023. Martin was also fined €10,000. He appealed against the severity of this penalty. However, his appeal against the fine was unsuccessful, and the appeals panel revised the ban, stipulating that only three months of the suspension would be suspended. Consequently, Martin will be unable to train from May 15th to August 14th. This period unfortunately encompasses the prestigious Galway Festival meeting (July 29th to August 4th), where Martin has a notable record, having secured four victories in the Galway Hurdle.
This marks the third instance in four years where a horse trained by Martin has failed a post-race drug test. Evidence presented at the original hearing revealed that the IHRB had conducted an unannounced inspection of Martin’s stables, collecting blood and hair samples from nine horses, including Firstman. All these subsequent tests returned negative results.
While primarily recognized as a jumps trainer, Tony Martin has also achieved success on the Flat, notably winning the Ebor Handicap at York in 2016. His most recent Cheltenham Festival triumph occurred in 2023 with Good Time Jonny in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final. Despite failing to win in five starts since that victory, Good Time Jonny remains a favorite for the Irish Grand National. Martin will still be permitted to train for the Punchestown Festival, the concluding event of the Irish National Hunt season, which runs from April 30th to May 4th.
Racecourse Tips and Selections
The following are racing tips and selections for upcoming events:
Musselburgh – Saturday:
- Queen’s Cup Handicap: Edward Bethell’s Chillingham (3.35) is a strong contender. Having won first time out on similar heavy ground last season and showing steady improvement, the horse has considerable potential over staying distances this year.
- 1.50: Individualism, despite being a maiden after four starts, has competed in decent company as a juvenile and appears well-handicapped off a mark of 78.
- 2.25: While heavy ground poses a question for the favorite Poet Master, Zip, a previous winner over the track and trip with race fitness on its side, is a strong candidate.
- 3.00: Glorious Angel, with trainer Brandon Wilkie’s 5lb claim, is favored. The horse performs well on heavy ground and should be well-prepared after recent runs.
Haydock Park – Saturday:
- 1.30: Disco Daisy
- 2.05: Playful Saint is expected to perform strongly, building on a recent close second at Stratford. The Dan Skelton yard is in excellent form.
- 2.40: Shoeshine Boy has shown significant improvement and is well-placed to follow up on his last performance, despite a slight increase in handicap.
- 3.15: Numitor, returning after an 11-month break, is expected to be competitive with a further 3lb drop in his rating.
Other Selections:
- Southwell: Destinado (1.30), Awj (2.05), Mini Magna (2.40), King’s School (3.15), Eccentric (nb) (3.50), Written Broadcast (4.25), Outreach (5.00), Rodborough (5.35).
- Ffos Las: Tommys Charm (1.40), Fashion’s Model (2.15), Mumbles (2.50), Art Decco (3.25), Just Over Land (4.00), Dentley De Mee (4.35), J’Aime El Mars (5.10).
- Plumpton: Fourtowns (1.55), Alto Alto (2.30), All Authorized (3.05), Hudson De Grugy (3.40), Knickerbockerglory (nap) (4.15), Fame And Fun (4.50), Whatsupwithyou (5.25).
- Market Rasen: Post Chaise (2.09), Pitwood Road (2.44), Taras Halls (3.19), God’s Own Getaway (3.54), Superstylin (4.29), Mylesfromwicklow (5.04), Ace Of Spades (5.39).
- Carlisle: Sleeping Satellite (1.55), Cornerstone Lad (2.30), Mr Bramley (3.05), Ned Tanner (3.40), Clovis Island (4.15), Largy Train (4.50), Masked Crusader (5.25).
- Wolverhampton: Chantico (5.30), Volkan Bey (6.00), Nocturnal (6.30), Subaltern (7.00), Triggered (7.30), King Of Speed (8.00), May Remain (8.30).
