Renowned Irish racehorse trainer Gordon Elliott has apologized over a photo showing him sitting on a dead horse on the phone.
The photo circulated on social media over the weekend.
The horse is lying in the sand, Elliott is sitting on it, looking into the camera and showing the victory sign with two fingers.
With the other hand he is holding a cell phone to his ear.
After the photo surfaced online, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) announced an investigation.
In a first reaction, Elliott said he would cooperate fully with the IHRB.
On Monday, the coach published a lengthy statement in which he apologized for the indecency.
His explanation for the pose, however, reads curiously.
The photo was taken some time ago after a horse died of a heart attack on a gallop, according to Elliott.
He thought about moving the dead horse's body to another location.
“I stood over the horse, waiting to help haul the body away.
I got a call and I sat down without thinking and answered the call, ”Elliott said.
When a team member called him, he wanted to show that one should wait for him.
The photo with the victory sign is said to have been taken.
With his statement, he will not allay the concerns of many people.
However, he wanted to share what the context of the photo was.
"Horse welfare, and the care and attention to detail that goes with it, is absolutely at the heart of everything we do here, and both I and my entire team take pride in these standards," said Elliott.
The Guardian reports that should Elliott's trainer license be revoked, a new trainer would have to take responsibility for more than 100 horses in his stable in County Meath.
This also includes the racehorse Tiger Roll, which has won the prestigious Grand National in Liverpool twice.
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