Johnny Murtagh Royal Ascot Hand Over

Legal Scholar

Perhaps Johnny Murtagh's early morning run that inspired his retirement was not all that it seemed. I see there is a you tube video online showing the winners enclosure after Sole Power's victory at Royal Ascot in 2013. It clearly shows a worried looking Ms. Lynam (trainers daughter) approach Johnny Murtagh immediately after he dismounts, I can only presume he tells her to go away and a few moments later she reaches out her hand to take something from him which he had underneath the saddle and she puts it into her open hand bag before closing it and moving away. I must say she looks very sad after having a Royal Ascot winner. It appears that now Johnny is no longer a licenced rider, he will not face any major punishment. A bit like the vet in Carlow, Mr. Hughes handing in his veterinary licence prior to the court case re imported drugs found on his premises last year.

boysinblack

Video here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M63SyyO3eHM

bookman2

boysinblack wrote: »

Video here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M63SyyO3eHM

Doesn't look good for them surely they could ban him from training for awhile if found guilty.

sdoc13

I have seen the video and have a few questions.

What is murtagh being accused of?

What could he have used that would have aided the horses performance during the race?

It could conceivable be anything that he handed to lynams daughter.

nuckeythompson

Whatever she gave him , its innocent enough. She claims it was part of a breastplate I think.

BHA have to investigate as an offence has been aledged by a member of the public and the facts it in the form of a video they must invesigate due to public perception etc

Nobody tried to hide or sneak anything, all fairly innocent in my opion and it clear she gave him something which could be anything or something that fell off his saddle / came loose

Lets not do the usual and jump to all sorts of conclussions

bookman2

More than likely they won't be able to prove anything. It could be a buzzer Allegedly!

nuckeythompson

She gave something to him and she has stated it was a breast plate. Its clear she gave him something

bookman2

nuckeythompson wrote: »

She gave something to him and she has stated it was a breast plate. Its clear she gave him something

It ain't clear to me! Will look at it again in the morning but it doesn't look great at first glance- anyway nothing will happen.

sirdes

nuckeythompson wrote: »

She gave something to him and she has stated it was a breast plate. Its clear she gave him something

Breast plate would stay on the horse and there are no bits of breast plates that can fall off.

nuckeythompson

sirdes wrote: »

Breast plate would stay on the horse and there are no bits of breast plates that can fall off.

breastplate was quoted in the racing post

storm in a teacup stuff

diomed

I thought she was just shaking his hand or giving him a congratulatory pat.

Legal Scholar

First off, it is more than a storm in a tea cup and what is reported in newspapers is not always true (ie a breastplate) as the old adage goes that paper will not refuse ink. Ms Lynam clearly approaches the jockey on dis mounting the horse and something is said to her from J. Murtagh as she walks away. After the jockey hugs the owner, Ms. Lynam clealry has the top of her hand bag in the open postition and takes something from J. Murtagh and puts it into her bag and then closes the bag and walks away. She clearly is not giving the jockey anything. Also the jockey's hands appears from under the saddle as he gives her the item. What could it be?, a buzzer type item, commom in American racing, an attachment to his whip? This is certainly not a storm in a tea cup and if any of you think that his retirement last month when he was after having an excellent year is not linked to the airing of this video and the possible BHA investigation is naive. Clearly Murtagh knew this was coming and got out. Should he be allowed have a trainers licence? Certainly yes for the moment, but surely a cloud hangs over his reputation now and if the BHA do find something against him (which i bet you they won't), Should the Irish Turf Club also deal with the ramifications or will they bury their head in the ground when anything crops up relating to "a named player" in the racing game.

Imhof Tank

Legal Scholar, have you been reading a lot of Dick Francis books recently?

Leaving aside for a moment the fact that there is absolutely no conclusive evidence of anything - how exactly do you think the authorities could retrospectively investigate something that happened 9 months ago?? Or are you suggesting trial by youtube is the right way to go?

Legal Scholar

Absolutely, I have read a lot of Dick Francis novels in my time (what a great man he was) and indeed there are undertones of a novel about this "you tube" video. However I am not linking both. Do I expect retrospective action by the BHA?, I am not asking any such questions nor am I looking for a trial by you tube. But if you can honestly say that what was recorded on that day after a group 1 victory at Royal Ascot is anything but unacceptable by those involved, then so be it, that is your opinion. But for the sake of the integrity of horse racing, some form of answers should by sought by the BHA from the parties involved. Currently the trainer, E. Lynam has dismissed it as a thing of nothing and explained that his daughter has been to Australia and back and can't remember what happened and how her biggest problem is now not been able to wear that red dress in Dubai this week. I think this reply is a slight against all people who follow this sport and I would have expected better frankly. If I had a group 1 winner anywhere, I am pretty sure I could explain my actions on the day some 9 months later and I could certainly verify what was caught on camera to clear the issue completely. I think racing is currently in the "dock" in this country over dubious use of banned substances and so I would expect a licenced trainer and former jockey, who is now a licenced trainer to step up to the mark and give a better explanation than one of them has done to date. Its about ethics, not about retrospective charges or trials by you tube. These are grown up people who ethically need to decide to do the right thing here.

convert

Given that this "incident" is under investigation by the BHA, can we please avoid speculation or making any unnecessary comments.

Ken.

How come this is only coming out now?, 9 months after the race.

Legal Scholar

Don't Know Ken. I suppose the video clip coming to light has sparked the possible BHA development. Why now?, maybe someone was viewing footage or editing Royal Ascot 2013 tapes. Who knows what's really behind all of this?

Gregk961

Bad rumours can ruin a good mans reputation, and all these rumours are built on US gossip mag calibre evidence. It could be something sinister, but in all fairness it probebly isnt, and nothing will come of it either way. For all we know he could have kept her underwear under the saddle for good luck!

Lucky there wasnt a video of Fallon doing this or he'd be in the guillotine already

Legal Scholar

you good well be right. As for other jockey's been in same said video, you are right there too. Guillotine first, questions answered last!

Legal Scholar

sorry could not good!

zpehtsfd

Seems a bit ridiculous that the parties involved don't remember what exactly was occuring during the incident. Something changed hands and you don't see this as a regular thing in the winners enclosure, before a jockey has weighed in. The sooner this is cleared up the better. Hope for the life of me it's nothing.

h2005

zpehtsfd wrote: »

Seems a bit ridiculous that the parties involved don't remember what exactly was occuring during the incident. Something changed hands and you don't see this as a regular thing in the winners enclosure, before a jockey has weighed in. The sooner this is cleared up the better. Hope for the life of me it's nothing.

To be fair if it was something innocuous it might not stick in the memory. Saying that it does look dodge.

Imhof Tank

Shortest investigation in history to appease youtube viewers


BHA: "What was the item passed from under the saddle 9 months ago?"
Eddie Lynam, Ms Lynam, J Murtagh: "Cant remember"
BHA: "Case closed"

Imhof Tank

Seriously though I don't see anything definite in this case despite the super slow mo. If there was anything passed over I would bet on a miraculous medal or lucky charm or something like that.

I remember a case at Epsom years ago where John Matthias was seen taking something out of his boot just before going in the stalls and giving it to one of the stalls handlers. An eagle eyed viewer phoned in - turned out to be a birthday card or a happy retirement card from the weigh room to the stall handler.

UnitedIrishman

Load of muck really.

Someone out to try damage his reputation. And even stranger that a person registers just to post in this thread multiple times.

bookman2

UnitedIrishman wrote: »

Load of muck really.

Someone out to try damage his reputation. And even stranger that a person registers just to post in this thread multiple times.

Do you think that this is normal practice after a race? Anyway it must be 1/100 that nothing will happen.

UrbanFret

Legal Scholar wrote: »

Don't Know Ken. I suppose the video clip coming to light has sparked the possible BHA development. Why now?, maybe someone was viewing footage or editing Royal Ascot 2013 tapes. Who knows what's really behind all of this?

You don't really like johnny do you?:rolleyes:

jimjamcos

An absolute disgrace, Murtagh should be banned for life!

No jockey should be allowed carry lipstick in a race!!

UnitedIrishman

bookman2 wrote: »

Do you think that this is normal practice after a race? Anyway it must be 1/100 that nothing will happen.

For people to use their hands? Yes, I'd imagine they do it all the time.

If he was up to something I'd imagine the ring right after the race with a load of people looking at the winning jockey wouldn't be the best time to do it.

Now where's my tinfoil hat.

kfallon

UnitedIrishman wrote: »

If he was up to something I'd imagine the ring right after the race with a load of people looking at the winning jockey wouldn't be the best time to do it.

If he was training horses under a different trainers name and was still retained rider for Aga Khan it wouldn't be the best time for his wife to announce that the horse "trained" by Tommy Carmody (who had just beaten his retainers horse) was "our baby" to the waiting media but that's what happened....and he got the bullet!

Also didn't Murtagh once blab about Team Tactics after the rearranged Juddmonte at Newmarket telling the assembled press that Colm O'Donoghue had moved off the rail for him and thus landed himself and Coolmore in a spot of bother.

So Johnny has not always been the greatest at keeping things a secret

kfallon

Nothing to see here folks

http://www.britishhorseracing.presscentre.com/Press-Releases/BHA-concludes-inquiry-into-2013-King-s-Stand-Stakes-4a9.aspx

hucklebuck

He weighed out and in the exact same weight, you would swear he handed her a giant sack.

nuckeythompson

Storm in a teacup

diomed

Found not guilty.

kfallon

If you download the clip to the right of the article I posted above you can clearly see around the 17 sec mark that she just places a strap on to the saddle! Nothing sinister at all!

Legal Scholar

Oh my God, you are so right nothing at all to see there and to think the parties invloved needed F.Ward & Co. Solicitors to attend the hearing with them!!!, I see your mate Murtagh has finally come out in the press and stated that a known trainer was behind all of this up roar. I didn't know young Ms. Lynam also had a trainers licence too.....the mind boggles, but we should not be surprised. Yet the turf club take a trainers licence from a small Cork trainer last year for basically riding out in runners and no body protectors on!!

premierstone

Legal your personal vendetta against one of the greatest jockeys of all time is not only very sad but also a little amusing, did you loose all your pocket money on Golden Cross back in the day??

What exactly is it you 'think' you have seen in the video footage as a matter of interest because you are throwing around alot of innuendos and insinuations without actually accusing him of any particular offence, never mind actually putting forward any proof.

h2005

Legal Scholar wrote: »

Oh my God, you are so right nothing at all to see there and to think the parties invloved needed F.Ward & Co. Solicitors to attend the hearing with them!!!, I see your mate Murtagh has finally come out in the press and stated that a known trainer was behind all of this up roar. I didn't know young Ms. Lynam also had a trainers licence too.....the mind boggles, but we should not be surprised. Yet the turf club take a trainers licence from a small Cork trainer last year for basically riding out in runners and no body protectors on!!

What do you believe he done? What happened that boggles the mind?

Gregk961

Let it rest it was nothing. You bring a solicitor to any preceeding like that, it dosnt (shouldnt) imply wrongdoing. Its not like he got let off for a breach of rules, because there wasnt any rules broken.

convert

I think this thread has run its course. The BHA investigated the so-called 'incident', viewed the footage and found no wrongdoing by any of the parties. Case closed. The last thing we want is this thread to descend into chaos.