Mahon: fiancée is my guardian angel

THE fiancé of RTÉ racing commentator Tracey Piggott has described the well-known broadcaster as his “guardian angel” for standing by him after a court found he had mistreated a horse.

Racehorse trainer Stephen Mahon yesterday confirmed he and Ms Piggot had called off their wedding, planned for next month, but said they made the decision to postpone it three months ago and that the delay had nothing to do with the court case.

“We are very much together. We’re like husband and wife. We’re living together and very happy. She is my guardian angel in a sense and she would not be associated with somebody who was cruel to animals,” he told the Irish Examiner.

Mr Mahon, 38, from Stamullen, Co Meath, was last week ordered by the circuit court to pay €34,000 in damages to the owner of a horse that had to be put down after gnawing through the flesh of its own legs at a stables Mr Mahon was leasing in Naul, Co Dublin.

He said yesterday, however, he had no idea the case was coming up because the owner of the stables, which he no longer leased, had already settled out of court almost a year ago and a mix-up meant he received no notification of the date for the outstanding case against him.

He insisted neither he nor the stables owner were to blame for the injuries to the thoroughbred mare Pike Bridge and said he would be appealing the order of the court.

“I have been advised not to say too much at this stage but I will be appealing the case and it will all come out in the wash. I am a long time in racing and I would never, never be cruel to any animal. I love animals.”

He would not be specific about their reasons for postponing the nuptials but hinted it was more to do with their professional than personal lives.

“Something popped up,” he said.