The High Court has struck out an action against billionaire stud owner and businessman Luke Comer related to a defamation action a horse trainer wants to take against an unnamed Coolmore Stud executive.
This followed an agreement that Mr Comer would provide any evidence he has as to the identity of the executive who allegedly stated that Mr Comer’s since laid-off trainer, Jim Gorman, had received substantial money from Coolmore and administered drugs to the billionaire’s horses.
The agreement, which followed talks between the Gorman and Comer lawyers, also provides that the information should include the time and date the alleged statement was made, the wording and the location.
In return, Mr Gorman has agreed not to use the information for any purpose other than his intended defamation case against the Coolmore executive and not to issue, or cause to be issued, any legal proceedings against Luke Comer, Brookville Racing Ltd and Seattle Slew Ltd in relation to any matters arising from or concerning the alleged defamatory statement.
READ MORE
It was also agreed Mr Comer is to pay €35,000 plus VAT as a contribution towards Mr Gorman’s legal costs.
The settlement was announced in court on Wednesday by Eugene Gleeson SC, instructed by Robert Dore solicitor, for Mr Gorman.
Martin Hayden SC, for Mr Comer, instructed by Theresa Howlett of Meaghers Solicitors, said that while agreement has been reached over the proceedings, his client “takes extreme issue” with much of what was contained in a grounding affidavit by Mr Gorman.
He said the allegations made by Mr Gorman were completely unfounded and have nothing to do with what he was asking the court to do (regarding seeking the identity of the Coolmore executive).
Mr Comer is bringing his own proceedings against Mr Gorman, and all those allegations will be addressed then, he said.
Mr Gleeson, for Mr Gorman, said any proceedings by Mr Comer will be vigorously defended.
Mr Justice Brian Cregan congratulated the parties and struck out the entire proceedings.
Mr Gorman, who was Mr Comer’s training manager at Brookville Racing for six years, said he was laid off in the wake of suspicion being raised that Mr Gorman was responsible for positive banned drug tests on some Comer horses and which resulted in a three-year racing ban against the billionaire.
A letter from Mr Comer’s solicitors to Mr Gorman last year, stated Mr Comer put his suspicion to Mr Gorman that he was responsible for the positive tests which Mr Gorman denied.
It was also claimed Mr Comer had learned that cash payments were made on behalf of Coolmore comprising four envelopes with substantial sums which were delivered to Mr Gorman at his address at Maddenstown Stud, the Curragh, Co Kildare.
The letter also alleged a senior Coolmore executive had said Mr Gorman got the money to administer drugs to Mr Comer’s horses.
Mr Gorman said that he spoke to Mr Comer in October 2024 when he was asked to “take the rap” for administering the banned substances. Mr Comer had sought “to bribe me such that he could seek to cynically exonerate himself”, he said.
Mr Gorman said he was told that if he accepted responsibility, Mr Comer would provide Mr Gorman with a small yard to train horses. He said he and his family have been involved in training for decades and it would be anathema to him to besmirch his family’s reputation by doing so.
Mr Gorman also claimed that lawyers for billionaire John Magnier, owner of Coolmore Stud and the Magnier stud farm company Linley Investments, wrote a letter rejecting in the strongest possible terms allegations that they made cash payments to Mr Gorman or had any involvement in a “supposed plot” to administer prohibited substances to Mr Comer’s horses.
The letter by the Magnier/Linley lawyers went on to state that Mr Comer rang Mr Magnier in April and June last ane Mr Magnier told Mr Comer “in no uncertain terms that Coolmore would never have any involvement in such activity” and that he should go to the gardaí with any evidence.
