Top trainer Elliott faced verbal abuse complaint
Former female staff member received apology after humiliating scene
DISGRACED race horse trainer Gordon Elliott was investigated by the Irish Horse Racing Board after he verbally abused a former staff member.
The trainer verbally abused the young woman at a race meet in 2013.
After the investigation, Mr Elliott was asked by the management of the IHRB to apologise to the woman involved.
A meeting was held at the IHRB HQ at the Curragh between Mr Elliott
and the woman – and she accepted his apology.
After initially denying the complaint was made, a source close to the trainer said this week. ‘He apologised and no adverse finding was made against him.’
Another source said the trainer had humiliated the young woman who has since gone on to have a successful career in the industry. ‘The complaint was made because you just can’t get away with that kind of behaviour. Shouting abuse at them [young staff] with everyone looking on.’
A spokesperson for the racing board said it didn’t comment on individual cases. However, when asked specifically – and repeatedly – to deny that a complaint had been made, they did not dispute the claim.
It follows the emergence on social media last month of a picture of Mr Elliott sitting on a dead horse. The image had horrified racing fans and animal lovers.
At a hearing of the IHRB three weeks ago, Mr Elliott had his licence suspended for six months and was fined €15,000 after he was found guilty of bringing racing into disrepute for posing for the photograph.
Last week Mr Elliott’s head lad at his Cullentra stables was also disqualified from racing for two months at a referral hearing of the IHRB.
Simon McGonagle, who has worked for Elliot since 2007, was found responsible for bringing the sport into disrepute after taking the photograph of Elliott sitting on a dead horse.
After the picture was leaked, Elliott told the Racing Post newspaper: ‘It is indefensible. Whether alive or dead, the horse was entitled to dignity.
‘A moment of madness that I am going to have to spend the rest of my life paying for and that my staff are suffering for.
‘It absolutely breaks my heart to read and hear people say that I have no respect for my horses.That couldn’t be further from the truth.
‘My whole life has revolved around horses since I was a child. I know nothing else. Horses are all I have. I came from nothing and built a dream.
‘When your world starts crumbling in front of you, it’s a scary place to be.’
The Irish Mail on Sunday reported last week that staff at Mr Elliott’s stable were unable to travel to Cheltenham after several stable hands tested positive for Covid.
Others from the 80-strong workforce at the yard were deemed close contacts and were also unable to take part in the meet.
The staff had undergone the mandatory testing last Saturday to keep the event Covid free.
‘You just can’t get away with that behaviour’