AN €80,000 prize fund from a disputed race involving a greyhound part-owned by former professional footballer and actor Vinnie Jones (above) is to be divided between the owners of the dogs who came first and second.
The move came yesterday under a settlement of a High Court action brought by a three-man syndicate, including Mr Jones, over a failed drug test which led to their winning dog being disqualified.
The syndicate ran a greyhound called Boavista to victory in the €80,000 JP McManus Irish Cup in Limerick in February 2006.
The dog failed a drug test and an Irish Coursing Club (ICC) inquiry disqualified it. The €80,000 purse was frozen, although all winning bets were paid out. No adverse findings were made personally against Mr Jones or his fellow syndicate members, greyhound trainer Pat Curtin and bookie Denis Gould.
The syndicate, along with Mr Curtin’s sister and greyhound handler, Bridget Curtin, sought a High Court judicial review of the ICC’s decision. They claimed they were not afforded proper procedures by the ICC in relation to the inquiry and also alleged there had not been full disclosure of the allegations against them.
Under the settlement terms handed into court, it was agreed between all parties to accept a decision of the ICC’s executive committee to declare no winner of the 2006 Irish Cup.