Cheltenham-Winning Trainer Seeks High Court Review Amid Suspension Delay

The case revolves around Firstman, a horse trained by Martin that tested positive for lidocaine

Tony Martin, renowned for his Cheltenham Festival victories, will not begin his three-month suspension for anti-doping violations as anticipated this Wednesday. The delay comes after Martin sought a judicial review from the High Court, with a decision expected on Thursday morning. Martin's solicitor, Kevin Power, stated: "The judge will deliver his decision on Thursday morning at 10:30 am, so that means his suspension does not start tomorrow [Wednesday]."

The case revolves around Firstman, a horse trained by Martin that tested positive for lidocaine, a local anaesthetic banned on race days, following a standout win at a Dundalk handicap in January last year. Initially, Martin faced a six-month suspension and a €10,000 fine. However, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board appealed, deeming the sentence too lenient, ultimately leading to the suspension of three of the six months.

This isn't Martin's first encounter with judicial reviews. Back in 2016, he approached the High Court after his horse Pyromaniac was implicated under the non-trier rule at Killarney. The Turf Club's decision to ban the horse for 42 days was challenged, and Judge Richard Humphreys granted a judicial review that allowed Pyromaniac to compete in that year's Galway Hurdle, finishing seventh. The High Court later annulled all penalties related to the case.

Notably, Firstman is the third horse trained by Martin in four years to fail a drug test. Martin has an impressive track record, with five Grade 1 victories and several major handicaps under his belt, including four Galway Hurdles, a County Hurdle, and a Coral Cup.

Recently, Martin showcased his training prowess at Chester, where Zanndabad clinched third place in the Chester Cup, and Alphonse Le Grande triumphed over stablemate Hamsiyann, securing a 1-2 finish for the stable in the Chester Plate.