Irish jockeys planning to take part in the Cheltenham Festival were urged to reconsider by Mr Hugh Byrne, Minister of State for the Marine and Natural Resources, writes Chris Dooley.
The Minister said he had "very serious concerns" that leading jockeys like Ruby Walsh and Barry Geraghty were giving the wrong signals to thousands of people thinking of travelling to Cheltenham. Withdrawing from the festival would be a sacrifice for them "but it is only a temporary one and pales into insignificance if the curse of foot-and-mouth comes to Ireland".
The idea that thousands of Irish people were still considering travelling to the event frightened him intensely, Mr Byrne added. "Britain is currently in the midst of a foot-and-mouth epidemic and to have these Irish racegoers mingling with people from all corners of Britain in the Cotswolds is beyond belief."