24.9.21 updated 28.9.21. You would be forgiven for asking what’s happened to Noduff Hacienda (pictured). Bought from Thurles sales as long ago as July, Ridley still hasn’t made his racing debut yet it’s now the end of September. The unfortunate story is this:

Ridley had two very satisfactory grading trials, railing nicely and breaking 29 seconds. During his third trial he was distracted by two red jacketed staff down the back straight and checked. The form record says ‘checked sough’ but a review of the video confirms that this wasn’t the issue.

Before we could arrange a fourth and final trial word came down from GBGB towers that he’d failed his Point of Registration (POR) drugs test and had been placed on the inactive list. His system was found to contain a corticosteroid – Methylprednisolone – which is a banned substance. We obviously assumed that this had been administered in Ireland by his previous handler before his sales trial. Enquiries however have revealed that Ridley was drug tested at the track at Thurles on the day of the trial and the owner/trainer has kindly supplied confirmation of that test being returned negative.

We immediately had a new sample taken on 2nd September but, despite many enquiries of GBGB and Monmore Racing Office we heard nothing until today when it was confirmed that Ridley could trial again. He duly flew round in 28.77 which was very pleasing. So he’ll be on the card next week you ask? Well, we thought not on the basis that all grading trials would need to take place after the ‘clean’ test but that turns out not to be the case and Ridley is now ready to go and the story does have a happy ending!

Meanwhile the origin of the drug found by the GBGB laboratory remains a mystery.