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The Irish Horse Racing Authority's (IHRB) veterinary procedures have been the subject of much discussion over the past week.
My Racing StorySponsored By Tote
I'm from just outside Kells, Co Meath and I suppose racing has always been a passion of mine. I do love the sport, and it is brilliant to make a career out of it now. My family are huge racing fans and I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Racing is a highly discussed topic at home with my family as well as farming. The racing is never off the TV. We take an annual family holiday to Galway every year. We go down for the week, and I've been going since I was a child. It is a proper family tradition now. We have going to the same house for the races I'd say for 14 or 15 years now. There are so many bedrooms there and some of my friends from home come down towards the weekend. It is a proper good holiday, and it is always in our calendars every single year. We were in Punchestown recently after Fairyhouse, so we would be big supporters of going racing. My parents are farmers, so I wouldn't have a close association with horses. I grew up on the farm, and I've been surrounded by animals all of my life. I know at first hand the effort, work and dedication that goes into animals and caring for them. I would have helped dad out on the farm alongside my two brothers. We still try to give a hand when time allows. We've no horses here on the farm, but I'm extremely confident that we will one day! I used to do a bit of riding when I was younger at my local equestrian centre. Things just got in the way then, but last summer I took it back up as a hobby. I'm really enjoying that again.
Stephen Harris reveals his 11/2 Derby selection
Johnny Ward and Stephen Harris preview the Derby and Oaks, while also looking ahead to the rest of a fascinating weekend of racing at Epsom.
By Shane Redmond - All eyes will be on AL HAARITH who rounded off his two-year-old season with a third place finish in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh in late September behind subsequent Group 1 winner and runner-up in last weekend's French Derby, Hawk Mountain. He now starts his three-year-old campaign with a rating of 107 and would be expected to win this with plenty in hand. Suspicious Mindz is rated 85, down from 87, after his recent effort in an eight-furlong maiden at Leopartstown while Krasimir boasts a mark of 84 on the back of three starts last season. He's up against it on his return to action and a bigger danger to the selection might come from Zenford who certainly ran his best race when just denied in a Curragh handicap on Guineas weekend.