Betfair ditches trainer Gordon Elliott after shocking image surfaces

Betfair has abruptly cut ties with brand ambassador Gordon Elliott after a disturbing image emerged on Twitter at the weekend of the Irish trainer sat astride a dead horse.

Elliott apologised unreservedly on Sunday in a statement in which he explained his actions by saying he took a phone call and sat down on the horse “without thinking”.

The 42-year-old handler who has won the Grand National on three occasions, including twice with Tiger Roll, said the photo had been taken some time ago after a horse had died of an apparent heart attack on the gallops.

“I was standing over the horse waiting to help with the removal of the body, in the course of which, to my memory I received a call and, without thinking, I sat down to take it.

“Hearing a shout from one of my team, I gestured to wait until I was finished. Such background information may seem trivial at this time and will not allay the concerns of many people both within and outside the world of horseracing.”

His explanation was met by dismay and ridicule on social media. He had also tweeted on Saturday night that he was aware of an image circulating online, yet the lack of denial increased speculation that it was genuine and not a photoshopped fake.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has launched an investigation, while the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) said it is “appalled” by the “totally unacceptable image” and that the BHA is in contact with its Irish counterparts.

Aware of negative headlines and the outcry the photograph was generating, Betfair has taken the decision to discontinue its association with the trainer.

A Betfair spokesperson said: “While we recognise that Gordon deeply regrets and apologised unreservedly for his poor judgement, his actions are completely at odds with the values of the Betfair brand and that of our employees.

“With that in mind, we have decided to discontinue our association with Gordon with immediate effect.” Betfair currently has prominent racing figures including Paul Nicholls, Joseph O’Brien and Ryan Moore as ambassadors.

Former jumps jockey and TV presenter Mick Fitzgerald was close to tears on Sky Sports Racing when he said the incident had made him “so sad” and that he originally presumed the image “had to be a fake”.

“These horses have given me a life that I’m privileged to have, and it just makes me really sad.”

An emotional @mickfitzg addresses the unfolding story surrounding Gordon Elliott with @TonyEnnis11 pic.twitter.com/3tfPKfNfGP

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 1, 2021

The timing of the leak could not be worse with the four-day Cheltenham Festival, the highlight of the jumps season, taking place a little over two weeks from now on 16 March.

Elliott is set to send dozens of horses over from Ireland and he could also be saddling Tiger Roll in this April’s Grand National if the horse’s owner, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary, decides to bid for a third victory in the world-famous steeplechase.

The concern is that anti-racing groups, which are usually more vocal at this time of year, have been given more ammunition against the sport and that the argument that racehorses are treated like royalty may not stack up.