As Ryanair rolls back its worst anti-consumer policies – there is now a grace period to make free changes to reservations online – Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud is under the microscope for making late changes of its own.
The Racing Post reported that the Turf Club is investigating the frequency of late changes by Gigginstown regarding announcing non-runners and related late jockey changes.
O'Leary's mount Road to Riches (the nag obviously hasn't bought any Ryanair shares lately) was declared lame shortly before a race in Cork last Sunday, and the steward's permission was sought to switch its jockey to another horse.
The stewards said yes, but referred it to the Turf Club. Gigginstown apparently has form in terms of late changes in recent months.
Hilariously, some of them have attracted heavy fines, which will chime with anyone who has ever forked out for a change to a Ryanair ticket. Last month it cost €600 for a couple of late changes to Gigginstown mounts at Limerick.
That’s called Karma, Micko.