Horse trainer Aidan O'Brien suing Glanbia over alleged contaminated feed

Horse trainer Aidan O'Brien, his son Donnacha, Coolmore Stud, Ballydoyle Racing as well as a number of other companies, are suing Glanbia for €30 million over alleged contaminated feed.

It forced the withdrawal of a number of horses from the Longchamp Racing festival in France in 2020, the Commercial Court has heard.

Glanbia denies it is responsible for the alleged losses and will be seeking an indemnity from a third party which it says is entirely responsible for losses resulting in contaminated feed, the court heard.

The proceedings are being brought by the O'Briens, Linley Investments t/a Coolmore Castlehyde and Associated Stud Farms and Golden Dale Unlimited trading as Ballydoyle Racing.

They are also being brought by Orpendale Unlimited Co, Chelston (Ireland) Unlimited Co, Wynatt Unlimited Co, Bengurragh Ltd, Roncon Unlimited Co and Whisperview Trading No 2 Unlimited Co which are corporate entities with shared ownership in a number of racehorses.

It is alleged that arising out of the supply by Glanbia of batches of "gain" racehorse cubes, which were contaminated with the performance enhancer Zilpaterol, that a number of racehorses were withdrawn from the Paris racing festival in October 2020.

John Kealy, financial controller of Ballydoyle Racing, in an affidavit seeking entry of the case to the fast Commercial Court on Monday, said urine samples taken in advance of the Paris festival confirmed the presence of Zilpaterol which came from the contaminated feed.

The plaintiffs, he said, had no option but to withdraw their horses from Longchamp and therefore suffered the loss of the opportunity to race and win prize money there.

One of the major consequences of the withdrawal was that the loss of the breeding value,