Horse Racing Ireland chief 'appalled and bewildered' by Gordon Elliott photo

Trainer Gordon Elliott came under fire when an image of him sitting on a dead horse was published. File Picture: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

The boss of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) said he had never been “so depressed” and he would need to “put the crash helmet” on to deal with the fallout from a photo of star trainer Gordon Elliott sitting on a dead horse.

Brian Kavanagh also asked “what could he [Elliott] have been thinking” in text messages exchanged with associates, which were released under FOI.

Records also reveal how Mr Kavanagh personally wrote to all staff and members of the board about the controversy saying he was “appalled” and “bewildered”.

In response, one board member – vet Meta Osborne – said her “stomach had been churning” after she first became aware of the photo.

Mr Kavanagh responded personally saying: “Although I didn’t grow up with horses, they are what attracted me to the industry. I love them and was never as depressed coming into work as I was on Monday.” 

In a message sent to all staff, Mr Kavanagh said that respect for the horse was at the heart of everything that the industry did.

Mr Kavanagh said it was clear that the photograph had done “untold damage” and that the industry had to make clear this was not representative.

He also urged staff to send on any suggestions they had for how HRI could make clear to the public that horse welfare was paramount for everybody in the industry.

A separate note was sent to the board of the HRI setting out the steps the public body had taken to deal with the fallout from the controversy.

In that email, Mr Kavanagh said that Gordon Elliott had personally phoned to “apologise for the difficulties which he had caused”.

The email said: “I advised him to be upfront and honest in dealing with the situation and with the IHRB [Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board] investigation in particular.” 

Mr Kavanagh told the board “joint sessions” had taken place with their PR firm Teneo and that staff had been updated on what was happening.

CEO of Horse Racing Ireland Brian Kavanagh. File picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

He said they were in daily contact with the Department of Agriculture and were also developing a communications strategy.

The note said: “[We] are briefing our advertising agency regarding the prospect of a campaign along similar lines to that which we ran at the time of resumption of racing.” 

HRI had also provided assistance to “industry speakers and commentators” ahead of media appearances where they were being asked about the controversy.

One board member responded directly with vet Meta Osborne saying poor behaviour towards horses was very rare but that “it still happens”.

Ms Osborne wrote: “My overriding emotion has been one of deep sadness and I have found it hard not to let my emotions get the better of me when the subject has been mentioned.” 

In another internal email sent by an official, questions were raised over a decision by horse racing authorities in Britain to ban Gordon Elliott’s horses from Cheltenham even before the investigation was complete.

The message said: “If it was an English trainer … would IHRB or ourselves be saying he can’t run horses at Punchestown without waiting for the result of the enquiry into the matter?”

Asked to comment on the records, HRI said it had nothing to add.