RUBY WALSH HAS addressed the presence of his father Ted at the recent raid of a stud farm in Kildare.
A number of banned substances were seized at the premises near Monasterevin last Tuesday, where British-based equine therapist John Warwick was operating.
The raid was led by officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) and assisted by Gardaí.
It took place on the same day that a report into alleged doping in Irish horse racing was released by a joint committee of the Oireachtas, following well-documented claims from trainer Jim Bolger that drugs are “the number one problem” in Irish racing.
Trainer Ted Walsh, who was on site at the time of the raid, has denied any wrongdoing and told RTÉ Sport on Sunday that he was there to have one of his horses treated for a tendon injury.
"I'm fully convinced. I think I've stood the test of time for 71 years and I think I'll stand the rest of it as well."
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) November 14, 2021
Ted Walsh believes it will be shown he has done nothing wrong after admitting he was on the premises raided by Department of Agriculture officials on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/SqKxs222WH
Both Paul Kimmage and David Walsh, two journalists who have done incredible work in the area of doping in sport, wrote at length about the allegations, which connect a number of high-profile trainers to Warwick, on Sunday.
And, speaking to fellow presenter Marie Crowe on 2FM’s Game On last night, Ruby said: “I think horse racing is no different to every other sport in the world.
“There will be people who are trying to get an advantage and using things they shouldn’t be using. I’m not naive enough to think that racing is squeaky clean.”
While accepting that the incident shines a bad light on racing, Ruby insisted that his father will be proven innocent.
“Of course it’s damaging reputation-wise for racing and for everybody that has been named in the piece,” he said. “Dad was there, he has explained exactly why he was there — for laser treatment on a horse’s tendon.
“To me, it’s like anything, there was a scene of a crime. To me, he was an eye witness. Some people will think he was complicit and you’ll never change their opinion.
“Unfortunately that’s what happen when you are there but I do believe he was an eye witness.
His horses were tested and I don’t believe any of them will prove positive for anything that was in Mr Warwick’s car.
“It’s not great,” he added. “I would much prefer to be here talking to you to Sharjah and Nube Negra and West Cork all winning at the weekend, but unfortunately bad news carries far more weight than good news and that’s just the way the world is.”
