Racing

Horse Racing Ireland confirm Kemboy free to race again

Gold Cup contender and six other horses can be entered for races by new syndicates

Kemboy can now be entered for the Savills Chase, which he won under David Mullins in 2018. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Greg Wood
Wed Nov 27 2019 - 11:25

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) said on Wednesday morning that it has lifted a ban on entries for Willie Mullins's Kemboy, the Cheltenham Gold Cup second-favourite, and six more horses previously registered to syndicates under the Supreme Racing Club banner after accepting new registrations for fresh syndicates "comprising members who have come forward as shareholders in those horses".

As a result, Kemboy can now be entered for the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown on December 28th, a race which he won last season, before the deadline at noon on Wednesday.

The other horses which can also now be entered to run are: Aramon, Cadmium, Defy De Mee, Harrie, Hybery and Robin De Carlow. However, the new syndicates will not be able to withdraw any prize money won by their horses "until at least the end of the 2019-20 National Hunt season", to "allow members to take further steps, including finalising the shareholding in each horse".

The seven horses had been in limbo since October 21st, when HRI announced a ban on entries for 29 horses owned by Supreme Racing Club, which was founded in 2011 by Jim Balfry and Steve Massey and was reported to have a total of around 500 members.

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All 29 are stabled in the Mullins yard. HRI decided to act following multiple reports of financial irregularities and impropriety surrounding the Club’s horses, including allegations that shares in many horses, including Kemboy, had been significantly oversold.

Kemboy went straight to Cheltenham for the Gold Cup after winning last year’s Savills Chase and was among the market leaders for the race, but unseated his jockey at the first fence.

He then took Grade One events on his next two starts, the Betway Bowl at Aintree and the Punchestown Gold Cup. Having started the season as favourite for the Gold Cup, Kemboy was recently displaced at the head of the market by Colin Tizzard’s Lostintranslation, the Betfair Chase winner, but he remains second favourite at around 13-2. - Guardian

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