Ted Walsh has apologised after he said "a hiding wouldn't be good enough" for a horse which refused to jump at Punchestown.
Transprint refused, causing the jockey to fall, in the three mile Cross Country Steeplechase on Saturday. Speaking on RTÉ after the race, Walsh said, "The horse that refused, he's a dirty, rotten so and so to refuse that. Jump it both ways, man on his back. Jesus, I'll tell you one thing, a hiding wouldn't be good enough for him."
Walsh added: "He had no intention [of jumping it]. Jees, he gave [the jockey] a horrible fall. It’s a wonder he didn’t follow him over and stand on him. He’s a chicken hearted so and so, that horse. Dirty, rotten, cowardly so and so."
Punchestown on Saturday. Ted Walsh calls the horse that refused a jump a 'dirty rotten cowardly so and so' then said 'a hiding wouldn't be good enough for him' to which the other commentator sniggered and said it's a nasty thing to do! @RTEsport are you condoning animal abuse? pic.twitter.com/ogCeuToGAj
— Ethical Farming Ireland (@ethicalfarmIE) May 2, 2022
Grenn Party senator Pippa Hackett, the Minister for State at the Department of Agriculture, said on Twitter that it was "completely unacceptable commentary from Ted Walsh".
"I don’t think anyone in racing or bloodstock could condone the use of this sort of language in relation to a horse. It does nothing for Irish racing," she said.
Ted Walsh apology
In a statement issued to the Irish Mirror, Walsh apologised.
"On RTÉ One’s Racing from Punchestown broadcast last Saturday, when analysing a horse’s refusal to jump an obstacle which led to a young man suffering a heavy fall, I said that ‘a hiding wouldn’t be good enough him,’ he said.
"This was an unfortunate turn of phrase and in no way reflects my views on the welfare of animals. I would never condone the use of physical force on any animal, and I sincerely apologise for any offence that my words caused."
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