Luke Comer weighs options after his appeal against three-year suspension of his coaching licence fails – The Irish Times

Billionaire businessman Luke Comer is considering legal action after his appeal against the three-year suspension of his license to train racehorses, which begins in two weeks, failed.

The Como native, who lives in Monaco, will be banned from training from July 15. This was decided last week by an appeals panel of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.

This marked the final step in horse racing’s disciplinary process, rejecting Comer’s appeal against the suspension imposed following the country’s biggest doping scandal, in which a dozen of his horses tested positive for anabolic steroids.

This came after an unannounced raid by the IHRB on his stables near Kiltiernan, Co Dublin, in 2021. A hearing of the board of inquiry last year was unable to establish how the drugs got into the horses and found no evidence of deliberate doping, but Comer was found guilty as a licence holder.

The 66-year-old property developer, who has held a license since 1991, has previously pledged to use his resources to fight for his reputation and stressed he is “1,000% innocent,” leading to speculation that the case could end up in court.

Attorney Andrew Coonan, who was part of Comer’s legal team during the three-day appeal hearing in May, declined to comment Monday on the likelihood of impending litigation.

“My client is reviewing the appeals panel’s ruling and no decision has been made yet,” he said.

The Appeals Body’s statement last week referred to separate disciplinary proceedings against coach Tony Martin, who failed last month to obtain a judicial review of his three-month licence suspension imposed by the IHRB in the High Court. Martin had applied for such a review on the eve of his suspension commencing.

The multiple Cheltenham Festival winner was suspended after the IHRB successfully appealed against the mitigation of an original penalty imposed after Martin breached anti-doping rules last year. It remains to be seen whether Comer will seek a judicial review of his case.

The appeal panel, chaired by Judge Peter Kelly, said in its opinion last Thursday: “When considering sanctions, it must be borne in mind that the use of prohibited substances, and particularly substances that are prohibited at all times, in racehorses strikes at the very heart of Irish racing. It damages the integrity and reputation of the sport.”

It continues: “There is no question that neither the IHRB made the allegation, nor that the Referral Committee or we concluded that these substances were administered intentionally.

“But it is also true that Mr. Comer failed to provide a reasonable explanation for what happened. The banned substances were not found in a single horse, but in about 10% of the horses trained by Mr. Comer.”

Comer can register his horses and have them race until July 15. On Tuesday evening he will have seven of them run in Roscommon. Five of them will be taking part in the final maiden race.

There has also been speculation within racing about how Comer might respond to his failed appeal, including with regard to the horses trained at his Kiltiernan premises and perhaps his commitment to the sport in general.

His son, Luke Comer Jnr, also holds a training licence but has been a rare presence over the past five years, with fewer than 60 runners. He had a single winner in 2018.

The businessman is also a major sponsor and supports, among other things, the Comer Group Irish St Leger with prize money of 600,000 euros in September at the Curragh, the second day of the Irish Champions Festival.

In other news, West Cork trainer John Murphy will take on Aidan O’Brien’s superstar and Derby winner City Of Troy in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday.

A total of 11 runners remain for the 1¼-mile highlight, which will see City Of Troy face older horses for the first time. Sponsors, who rate Murphy’s White Birch as his biggest threat, have immediately placed him as the 8/15 favorite.

White Birch is unbeaten in three starts so far this season and turned the tables on O’Brien’s 2023 Derby hero Auguste Rodin in style when claiming his first victory at the highest level in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May.

O’Brien also leaves three older runners in Luxembourg, Continuous and Hans Andersen, while his son Joseph has the opportunity to run Al Riffa, who was unconvincing in his last start at Saratoga. Two other notable candidates in the three-year-old class are Ghostwriter and Dancing Gemini.

It’s a busy Tuesday in Ireland with two fixtures and Roscommon hosts the Listed Lenebane Stakes in the evening.

Dylan Browne McMonagle has chosen Raise You rather than Joseph O’Brien’s other hope Deakin, which is relatively clear based on the ratings. However, Deakin’s performance at Royal Ascot from a wide start was commendable and Crystal Black’s form could improve even further.