Labaik

Labaik
Labaik's racing silks
SireMontmartre
DamAvanguardia
DamsireChoisir
SexGelding
Foaled27 February 2012
CountryFrance
ColourGrey
BreederEcurie Des Monceaux
OwnerAidan J O'Ryan
TrainerGordon Elliott
Record18:3,1,0
Earnings£106,505
Major wins
Supreme Novices Hurdle (2017)

Labaik (foaled 27 March 2011) was a French thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2017 Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Racing career

Labaik was bred in France and began his racing career with trainer John Hammond, on the flat. After eight races with a best finish of second at Deauville - he switched briefly to trainer Owen Burrows in England and later to Gordon Elliott in Ireland.

Labaik was successful taking two victories in late 2016 in Ireland, first at Punchestown and later the For Auction Novice Hurdle at Navan.[1][2]

His greatest success however would come at the Cheltenham Festival with jockey Jack Kennedy. A 25/1 outsider, Labaik won the Supreme Novices Hurdle by over 2 lengths from favourite Melon.[3]

Labaik generated a lot of press interest due to his repeated refusals to start races, most notably at Punchestown in 2017.[4] This led to a Turf Club investigation into the refusal to start rules.[5]

Labaik ran again on April 28 in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle finishing fourth. After the race it was revealed by trainer Gordon Elliott that he had suffered an injury and would likely never run again.[6][7]

Labaik died in 2020 from complications of colic.[8]

Labaik was registered as owned by Aidan J O'Ryan, a bloodstock agent. In 2017 Labaik was seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau in Ireland as his purchase for €28,000 was linked to a organized crime and drug dealer John Boylan.[9][10] Gardai sent armed officers to Punchestown to seize the horse.[11] In October 2019, it was ruled by the Irish High Court that Boylan had purchased Labaik using proceeds from crime.[12]

During the high court case, it was revealed the ownership of the horse was structured as 90% Boylan, 5% O'Ryan and 5% Gordon Elliott the trainer.[13] It was outlined during the case that Elliott had never spoken to owner Boylan.[14] At the same testimony, the value of Labaik was raised up with Elliott estimating his value went up to €300,000 following his Cheltenham win but now may be 'worthless' after the injury sustained at Punchestown.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Elliott's Labaik lands For Auction Hurdle". Irish Racing. 13 November 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  2. ^ "For Auction Novice Hurdle (Grade 3) (Class 1) (Turf)". Racing TV. 13 November 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Labaik wins Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at 25/1". Sky Sports. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Cilaos strikes as Labaik refuses to take part in Grade 1 thriller". Racing Post. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Turf Club to examine rules following Labaik's latest refusal to start". The Irish Times. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Labaik's career in severe doubt after Punchestown injury". Racing Post. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Labaik sustains potentially career-threatening injury". The Irish Field. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Death of Labaik confirmed". Irish Racing. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Festival hero Labaik at centre of High Court order for crime assets". Racing Post. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  10. ^ "Gambling proceeds may have helped drug dealer buy Labaik". Racing Post. 19 June 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Armed gardai 'kept watch on Labaik's passport' as he raced at Punchestown". The Irish Independent. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Ninety per cent of Cheltenham-winning horse bought with proceeds of crime – court". The Irish Times. 5 October 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Trainer Elliott to give evidence over star horse seized by CAB". Irish Independent. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Trainer Gordon Elliott says he never spoke to owner of horse whose passport was seized". The Irish Times. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Elliott defends running Labaik at Punchestown while giving high court evidence". Racing Post. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2022.