Michael O’Leary has condemned the animal rights protesters who tried to halt the Grand National, describing them as “a bunch of middle class layabouts”.
The outspoken leading racehorse owner and boss of Ryanair claimed anti-racing campaigners were seeking to make thoroughbreds extinct and said they should come clean about their motives.
Horse racing has been hit by successive weekends of protests at Aintree before the Grand National and last weekend before the Scottish Grand National at Ayr.